SPRINGFIELD – Legislation championed by State Senator Christopher Belt to expand access to mental health resources and strengthen suicide prevention efforts has been signed into law.
“Too many families have experienced the heartbreak of losing a loved one to suicide,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This will help ensure people know where to turn during a crisis and give our communities additional tools to bolster suicide prevention efforts.”
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The new law will increase awareness of the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by requiring contact information for the service to be prominently displayed in public buildings throughout Illinois. The law will also expand mental health education for students in grades six through 12 by incorporating evidence-based suicide prevention instruction into comprehensive health education courses.
Additionally, the law will strengthen support for individuals transitioning from incarceration by requiring the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide suicide prevention information and resources to people preparing for release.
“With suicide ranking among the leading causes of death for our youth, Illinois must act boldly,” said Tammy Bush, President of Tam’s Beautiful Butterflies. “Visibility saves lives, and education prevents tragedy.”
Senate Bill 2771 was signed into law on Friday.
