Fund 988 hotline to help prevent suicide
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. As a volunteer advocate with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, I am calling on my members of Congress to pass legislation to prevent suicides and support crisis care.
Suicide prevention for me is something very personal.
I myself live with anxiety, depression and PTSD.
On March 11, 2022, we lost our 16-year-old nephew to suicide — a loss our family and his parents will never get over. However, it is important to educate everyone around us and be visible in the community to help others understand that mental health, mental illness and suicide awareness/prevention have to become part of our daily conversation. The AFSP makes that possible and gives those silenced a voice.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline must be sustainably funded so that confidential, voluntary services by trained counselors are accessible. HR 7116, the 988 Implementation Act, would provide federal funding and guidance to states for 988 crisis services across the nation.
An alternative to 911 for mental health crises, 988 connects callers to Lifeline centers. These centers de-escalate 98% of crisis calls without dispatching emergency services. Well-resourced crisis support systems can connect callers with local resources, including someone to talk to (call centers), someone to respond (mobile crisis teams) and somewhere to go (crisis stabilization centers). We must ensure that every state has the capacity to provide comprehensive crisis response services to help save lives.
For more information, go to afsp.org/988.
Join me in urging Congress to take action to #StopSuicide!
Amber Walker
Fairmont
Credit for hazardous waste event goes to MUB
In the Sunday, Aug. 21, letters to the editor, Connie Rush wrote a wonderful letter thanking the Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority for the Household Hazardous Waste Event held Aug. 6.
We are writing to give full credit to the Morgantown Utility Board for holding the HHW event.
Over the years, MUB has held this very important event and it is fully responsible for it. It consistently does an awesome job, and we are grateful for MUB holding this event.
Thank you to Chris Dale and team at MUB for another successful HHW event!
Lynn Castro
Mon County SWA
Morgantown
