A Voice for Change

I was so pleased to receive this email from my State Representative earlier this week. In her email she takes the time to recognize that May is Mental Health Awareness Month and provides some links to valuable resources for education and support. Even more significantly, she pledges to use some of her political capital to have an impact on suicide prevention and mental health. This is huge. Elected officials naturally gravitate towards issues that people are talking about, and most people would rather not talk about suicide or mental illness. Yet the impact on individuals and families in our state is devastating. We cannot afford to avoid these issues because they make us uncomfortable.

I am greatly comforted to know that someone is stepping up to spark conversation and lead change. It is my most sincere wish that no other family will have to lose a loved one to suicide.

Contact me... Feel free to contact my office with any question, concern or state-related issue where I can help. BY MAIL: State Rep. Brenda Kupchick Room 4200 Legislative Office Building Hartford, CT 06106 BY PHONE OR FAX (800) 842-1423 (Toll Free) (860) 240-8700 (Local) (860) 240-0207 (Fax) Brenda.Kupchick@cga.ct.gov http://www.repkupchick.com HELPFUL STATE WEB SITES General Assembly Consumer Protection Public Utilities Revenue Services Social Services Veterans Affairs Children & Families Public Health Mental Health, Addiction Transportation Motor Vehicles

Friends, May is Mental Health Awareness month, and I wanted to take a few moments to alert to a very serious and growing problem in our communities. This week, NBC featured a blog post quoting our chief medical examiner's office saying the state's suicide rate has climbed to a 20-year high.  While Connecticut’s suicide rate is still low compared to most other states, we now cope with more than one person committing suicide every day.       Officials say the suicide rate has been rising the past five years, and although it is not clear why, officials believe the economic downturn probably has been a factor.       The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says that 9 of every 10 suicides could have been prevented by proper treatment of the mental disorder. If you, or someone you know, is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress please connect to any of these organizations.  They are available around the clock with hotline support and advice on how to assist your friend or family member. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention http://www.afsp.org/ National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) There is also a new outlet for people who would prefer to communicate via typed words CrisisChat.org I have spent my first term in office working hard to make sure that our students have a safe and comfortable environment to learn in and I have been working with other legislators and families of suicide victims to pursue stronger youth suicide prevention legislation this fall. I promise I will do everything in my power to get this issue highlighted next session if I'm re-elected. Spreading suicide prevention awareness could be the difference between life and death. My heart goes out to all of the families who have had to face this tragedy, and I hope that you pass this email on to your contact lists. Sincerely, Brenda Kupchick State Representative for the 132nd District