WEDNESDAY, FEBRUAURY 2, 2000

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUAURY 2, 2000

Our View

Jay’s end-run

Local ordinances must not be overruled

by ill-conceived state bills

The Committee on Rules at the Virginia General

Assembly is currently studying legislation that

would set up a comprehensive suicide prevention plan for Virginia’s youth. Introduced by Sen. Ed Houck early in the session, the proposed legislation and accompanying budget amendments cannot be approved soon enough.

It started last year when the General Assembly requested the Department of Health to conduct a study of suicidfes in the Commonwealth. The results were very disturbing:

• More Virginians die each year from suicide than homicide;

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents;

• The suicide rate for 10- to 19-year-olds has increased 32 per cent since 1975;

• Ninety per cent of adolescent suicide victims had at least one diagnosable illness at the time of death;

• Depression is the leading cause for hospitalization of 10 to 14 year old children; and

• There are as many as 25 suicide attempts for each suicide death.

The legislation now under consideration, Senate Joint Resolution 148, would organize and fund a statewide suicide prevention plan, utilizing the combined expertise of the Department of Health, the Commission on Youth, the Department of Education, and the Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Substance Abuse.

SJR 148 — which includes among its patrons Sen. Bill Mims, Sen. Linda “Toddy” Puller and Delegate Joe May — carries with it budget amendments that would provide $1 million for each year of the biennium.

Under the proposal, efforts would be directed at developing comprehensive suicide prevention plans addressing the promotion of healthy development, early identification, crisis intervention and support to survivors.

Six states have already developed such a program. It’s time that Virginia did likewise.