| 1 | 1 | | 89R12644 KRT-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hunter H.C.R. No. 62 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Suicide rates rose across the United States from |
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| 9 | 9 | | 2000 to 2022, and the State of Texas saw a nearly 37 percent |
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| 10 | 10 | | increase during that period; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and |
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| 12 | 12 | | Prevention, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the |
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| 13 | 13 | | nation, claiming more than 48,000 lives in 2021 alone, and data |
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| 14 | 14 | | indicates that the number and rate of suicides in the U.S. increased |
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| 15 | 15 | | by more than four percent from 2020 to 2021; moreover, there are |
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| 16 | 16 | | millions of adults who have seriously considered or attempted |
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| 17 | 17 | | suicide, and the stigma associated with mental health conditions |
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| 18 | 18 | | often prevents these individuals from seeking the care they need; |
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| 19 | 19 | | and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, There has also been an alarming increase in the |
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| 21 | 21 | | number of suicide attempts and deaths by suicide in Texas |
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| 22 | 22 | | correctional institutions, with little understanding of what the |
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| 23 | 23 | | cause might be; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, While the social impact of these deaths is |
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| 25 | 25 | | undeniable but difficult to quantify, the economic toll of suicide |
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| 26 | 26 | | on society is clear, with suicides and suicide attempts totaling |
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| 27 | 27 | | hundreds of billions of dollars in medical and work-loss costs; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, All 50 states have a suicide prevention plan, but |
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| 29 | 29 | | most states, including Texas, do not require suicide prevention |
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| 30 | 30 | | training for health care professionals; evidence shows that states |
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| 31 | 31 | | and communities can do more to identify and support people at risk |
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| 32 | 32 | | of suicide by teaching coping skills, promoting safe and supportive |
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| 33 | 33 | | environments, and connecting people to effective and coordinated |
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| 34 | 34 | | mental and physical health care; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Suicide is a public health issue of vital importance |
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| 36 | 36 | | to all Texans, and the development of suicide prevention strategies |
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| 37 | 37 | | would help to save lives; now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 39 | 39 | | hereby request the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House |
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| 40 | 40 | | of Representatives to create a joint interim committee to study |
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| 41 | 41 | | suicide prevention in Texas, including in Texas correctional |
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| 42 | 42 | | institutions; and, be it further |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be |
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| 44 | 44 | | governed by such general rules and policies for interim committees |
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| 45 | 45 | | as the 89th Texas Legislature may adopt; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the committee shall submit a full report, |
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| 47 | 47 | | including findings and recommendations, to the 90th Texas |
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| 48 | 48 | | Legislature before it convenes in January 2027. |
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