Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1324, the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021, introduced by Representatives Bilirakis, Soto, and Burgess.

This legislation will authorize the grant program to improve the identification, screening, assessment, and treatment of patients in emergency departments who are at risk for suicide.

Consideration of this bill could not come at a more pressing time. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn have impacted the mental health of many Americans. Due to the pandemic, tens of thousands of additional Americans have died from suicide or substance misuse.

Emergency departments are key locations to intervene and assist those who may be contemplating suicide. Past research has identified one in every eight emergency department visits in the United States were related to a mental health or substance use disorder.

By creating grants for emergency departments to develop policies for screening those at risk of suicide, and enhancing their post-discharge care coordination, this bill will improve our frontline providers' ability to intervene when someone is in crisis, ultimately reducing deaths from despair during this difficult time.

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), my friend.

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I would just say that these series of bills is so important in dealing with the suicide and prevention, in preventing this tragic epidemic from becoming a pandemic as well.

Madam Speaker, I urge the support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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