Suicide Prevention WeekProclamation
This Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisor's Proclamation recognizes suicide as a Virginia-
wide public health problem, and suicide prevention as a Virginia-wide responsibility, and
designates September 7~n through 11 `h as "Suicide Prevention Week in Pittsylvania County, VA"
which coincides with the 2009 National Suicide Prevention Week.
WHEREAS, suicide is the 11 ~n leading cause of all deaths in the United States and the 3~a leading
cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 to 24;
WHEREAS, suicide is now the l l~n leading cause of all deaths in the state of Virginia, as well as
the third leading cause of death among people from the age 15 to 24 in Virginia;
WHEREAS, in the United States, one person completes suicide every 16 minutes;
WHEREAS, it is estimated that 4.47 million people in the United States are survivors of suicide
(those who have lost a loved one to suicide);
WHEREAS, the overall suicide rate in our country has only slightly declined from record highs
in recent years, the suicide rate for those 15-24 years old has more than doubled since the mid-
1950s; and the suicide rate remains highest for adults 75 years of age and older;
WHEREAS, the stigma associated with mental illness and suicidality works against suicide
prevention by discouraging persons at risk for suicide from seeking life-saving help and further
traumatizes survivors of suicide;
WHEREAS, statewide suicide prevention efforts should be developed and encouraged to the
maximum extent possible;
WHEREAS, organizations such as the American Association of Suicidology, SEAS of
Danville/Pittsylvania County, Crisis Line of Danville/Pittsylvania County, and the Jason
Foundation which are dedicated to reducing the frequency of suicide attempts and deaths, and
the pain of survivors affected by suicides of loved ones, through educational programs, and
intervention and postvention services, urge that we be vigilant to see the warning signs of those
in need and be swift to act on their behalf.
WHEREAS, a great many suicides are preventable;
THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED that, I, Coy E. Harville, Chairman of Pittsylvania County
Board of Supervisors, Virginia, do hereby designate September 7th through September l lth ,
2009 as "National Suicide Prevention Week" in the County of Pittsylvania.
Given under
hand this 8th day of September, 2009.
~ ~
. Harville, Chairman