Lawmakers urge more funding, awareness to suicide prevention

HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii legislators are grappling with how to prevent suicides, the leading cause of fatal injuries in the state.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports one person dies every two days by suicide in Hawaii.

The state Department of Health statistics show there was an average of 186 suicides a year from 2012 to 2016, compared to 120 in the early 2000s.

Democratic Hawaii Sen. Josh Green says mental health care and drug treatment in Hawaii is underfunded by tens of millions of dollars every year, and one direct result of this is far too many suicides.

The Prevent Suicide Hawaii Task Force presented a plan to reduce suicides in Hawaii by at least 25 percent by 2025.

Strategies include raising awareness about this preventable health problem through the press and social media.

Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com

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