Please contact Governor Christine Gregoire, and your State Legislators, today to save funding for suicide prevention, and the effective work being done by the Youth Suicide Prevention Program (Y.S.P.P.)
Washington State legislators have gradually decreased Y.S.P.P. funding from the original $500,000 a year to $116,000. Meanwhile, Y.S.P.P. has continued to advocate, educate and support our youth, and prevent suicide. Now, a proposal has been sent to the governor to cut their funding to $0.
If Y.S.P.P. loses its funding, youth, parents, teachers, counselors, educators and others around Washington State will not get the education and training necessary to decrease the number of young people dying by suicide.
Each week in our state:
- an average of 2 young people die by suicide.
- 1 in 10 have thoughts of suicide.
- 17 are hospitalized because of a suicide attempt.
These deaths are preventable. Research shows that 80% of youths who die by suicide just want their pain to end. Y.S.P.P. helps youth, parents, educators, peers, counselors, and others in our community know the warning signs, know what to say and what to do when a young person is at risk of dying by suicide.
Send your message to the governor through the State website, as well as identifying your State Legislator. A special session has been called for November, and the time is now to let them know what you think of cuts to vital services. Please tell the state not to cut funding for suicide prevention.