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Mr. Schmerelson, Ms. Griego, Ms. Gonez, Ms. Newbill, Dr. Rivas, Ms. Ortiz Franklin, Mr. Melvoin - Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month 2026 (Res-005-26/27) (Noticed August 25, 2026) (Version 2)
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Whereas, Suicide loss profoundly impacts families, friends, teachers, and the entire school community, and providing comprehensive support is essential for healing and preventing tragedies;
Whereas, In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated 48,824 people died by suicide across the United States, with an estimated 14.3 million adults seriously considering suicide, 4.6 million planning to attempt, and 2.2 million attempting;
Whereas, In 2024, the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for October 10 reported that adolescent mental health and suicide risk remain a “substantial public health concern,” with 39.7% of students experiencing persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness; 28.5% experienced poor mental health, 20.4% seriously considered attempting suicide, and 9.5% had attempted suicide;
Whereas, The CDC’s Risk Behavior Survey had not been updated since 2023 and was deleted or publicly unavailable by the federal government, potentially harming state and local governments from assessing the needs of younger citizens and residents until a court order demanded the data and webpages be restored in February 2025;
Whereas, The CDC has stopped publishing data on transgender Americans to comply with Executive Order 14168, potentially leaving the CDC as an unreliable source of information and an undercount of suicide rates for LGBTQ+ communities;
Whereas, In 2026, the CDC Mental Health Data Channel reported that suicide is the leading cause of death among youth and adults in the US, with half of people who die by suicide having a history of a known diagnosed mental health condition but the other half having no diagnosis at the time of death, highlighting that mental health conditions may go undiagnosed;
Whereas, Factors such as...
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