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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Suicide is a major public health problem and a
3leading cause of death in the United States that can have
4lasting effects on the family, friends, and communities of the
5person who acts to take his or her life; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the
7United States, and in 2015, was responsible for 44,193 deaths,
8or approximately one suicide death every 12 minutes; more than
91,000 Illinoisans die each year by suicide; Illinois death by
10suicide averages 2.9 every day, and suicide attempts average
1116.7 every day; individuals ages 15 to 19 have the highest
12suicide attempt rate for any age group in Illinois; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Goal 1 of the Illinois Department of Public
14Health's Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is to "... increase
15awareness, knowledge, and competency in suicide prevention,
16assessment and treatment for first responders and health care,
17social service, clergy, law enforcement and school personnel";
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Following the tragic loss of their 27-year old
20son, Stephen, the fifth of their eight children, to suicide on
21June 13. 1987, Stephen's parents, Edward and Mary Alice Sexton,
22decided to make their son's death a motivation for furthering

 

 

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1life; and
 
2    WHEREAS, To realize that goal, the Sextons founded the
3Stephen Sexton Memorial Foundation in 1987 to raise funds for
4programs focused on the unmet need they discovered for suicide
5prevention, awareness, and research programs in Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Since its founding, the foundation has raised over
7$1 million in funding for these programs, almost exclusively
8through the grassroots fundraising efforts of members of the
9Sexton Family and their friends; these programs include, among
10others, Maryville Academy's Stephen Sexton Training Institute
11and the Glenview Youth Service; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in
14light of the critical importance of expanding suicide
15prevention and awareness in Illinois, and in recognition of the
16commitment and pioneering efforts of the Sexton Family over
17more than 30 years to fund prevention and awareness programs in
18Illinois in honor of the life of their son, Stephen T. Sexton,
19that we declare June 13, 2018 as Suicide Awareness Day in
20Illinois; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That we encourage the sharing of suicide
22awareness and prevention strategies among individuals,

 

 

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1communities and organizations so that all Illinoisans have
2access to the resources they need to discuss suicide awareness
3and prevention and dispel the myths, stigma, and shame
4surrounding suicide that hinders efforts to prevent it; and be
5it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the Sexton family, the Maryville Academy, and the
8Glenview Youth Service.