WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY, 2022
10442
- - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
On World Suicide Prevention Day, our Nation joins the World
Health Organization, the International Association for Suicide
Prevention, and countries across the globe in mourning those who
have died by suicide. Suicide is a devastating tragedy that
leaves loved ones with unanswered questions and families missing
a piece of their soul, wishing for more time together. We are
still in the early stages of learning about the conditions that
can lead to suicide, including job strain or loss; serious
illnesses; and financial, criminal, legal, and relationship
problems. Acknowledging suicide and the impact it has on our
communities is a first step to understanding how it can be
prevented more effectively.
Suicide accounts for 1 of every 100 deaths globally, and it
is the second leading cause of death for Americans between the
ages of 10 and 34. In the United States, American Indians,
Alaska Native youth, LGBTQI+ youth, and rural men are
disproportionately affected. Far too many service members,
veterans, and law enforcement officials have taken or considered
taking their own lives. And too frequently, these patriots and
public servants do not receive the help they need due both to
stigmas surrounding mental health challenges and lack of access
to necessary resources.
During my State of the Union Address, I discussed tackling
the mental health crisis as a key component of my
Administration's Unity Agenda. My Administration released a
comprehensive Government strategy designed to address mental
health with the same substance and specificity as our approach
to physical health. It connects more Americans to care and

2
creates a full spectrum of prevention and recovery support. My
Administration's budget proposes investing over $22.8 billion in
Fiscal Year 2023 to bolster our mental health and care
workforce, to establish new nontraditional health delivery
sites, and to integrate quality mental health and substance use
care into primary care settings. As we look ahead, we must
advance equity in mental health and transform how mental health
is understood, perceived, and treated. We also remain committed
to expanding mental health research and services around the
world.
Over the last 2 years, we have invested heavily in
expanding the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which we
transitioned from a 10-digit number to the 3-digit dialing code,
9-8-8, this summer. This new, easier-to-access tool connects
people in crisis to trained professionals, 24-hours per day, 365
days per year.
This summer, I signed into law the first meaningful gun
safety bill in nearly 30 years, which helps States implement
red-flag laws that make it harder for people more likely to harm
themselves and others to purchase guns. It funds more crisis
intervention services and improves mental health access for
children and families. With funding from my American Rescue
Plan, my Administration strengthened our support for the Garrett
Lee Smith State and Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early
Intervention Program, which awards money to States and Tribes
implementing critical strategies to save lives.
Last November, my Administration released a comprehensive
public health strategy for reducing military and veteran
suicide, which we are now working to implement. In March, the
Department of Defense established the Suicide Prevention and
Response Independent Review Committee to prevent suicide in the
military and address suicide risk for service members who have
experienced sexual assault. I also signed an Executive Order

3
directing the Department of Health and Human Services to expand
mental health care access to LGBTQI+ youth as a means of
preventing suicide.
From committed crisis counselors who serve on hotlines and
in schools to clinicians, behavioral health care practitioners,
faith leaders, teachers, friends, and family members -- we each
have a role to play. Together, we can reduce the stigmatization
of mental health issues, learn how to respond to suicide risk,
and offer individuals and populations most impacted the
essential care they need when a crisis arises. Together, we can
save lives.
On this day of commemoration and action, we commit to
studying the risk factors associated with suicide and to making
mental health care accessible and affordable. Finally, to those
experiencing emotional distress:

please know that you are

loved, and that you are not alone. There is hope, and there is
help, and I encourage you to call or text 9-8-8 to reach the
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in
me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do
hereby proclaim September 10, 2022, as World Suicide Prevention
Day. I call upon all Americans, communities, organizations, and
all levels of government to join me in creating hope through
action and committing to preventing suicide across America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth
day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twentytwo, and of the Independence of the United States of America the
two hundred and forty-seventh.
[FR Doc. 2022-20003 Filed: 9/13/2022 8:45 am; Publication Date: 9/14/2022]