SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, women attempt suicide during their lifetime about three times as often as men. Further, certain subgroups of women, notably young Hispanic and Asian American women, are at even higher risk for suicide.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that high school age Hispanic females report more feelings of sadness or hopelessness and of suicidal ideation and attempt, compared with their white or black non-Hispanic counterparts. Similarly, the CDC reports that Asian American women have the highest suicide rate of all women over 65, and according to the American Psychological Association Asian American girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of all racial groups and the highest rate of suicide among all women age 15 to 24.

Several suicide prevention documents currently are available to assist New Yorkers, including a Suicide Prevention Education Awareness Kit that is available from the Office of Mental Heath in Spanish and Chinese. Further, while research over recent decades has uncovered information on the causes of suicide and the strategies to prevent it, much more needs to be understood about how gender, ethnic, cultural and generational differences may lead to increased rates of suicide.

The Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force and the Task Force on Women Issues is holding a hearing to gather information about women and suicide, particularly focusing on young Hispanic women and Asian American women. The Committee and Task Forces are also seeking for information about suicide programs currently in place in New York State and input about ways in which to further decrease the risk of suicide and prevent suicide attempts for these vulnerable populations as well as all New Yorkers who may be at risk of suicide.

Please see below for a list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony, and for a description of the bills which will be discussed at the hearing.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

1. What research has been done on the factors that may be leading to the unusually high rates of suicide among Hispanic and Asian American women in New York?

2. What strategies, initiatives and programs are currently underway in New York State to decrease the rates of suicide among women? Among cultural and ethnic minorities in particular? How effective are they?

3. In State Fiscal Year 2006-07, there was $1.5 million allocated to the New York State Office of Mental Health to be used for suicide prevention programs. What exactly is this money being used for? Is any of the money being targeted to particular at risk populations?

4. Have other states had success with suicide prevention methodologies that are not currently in use in New York? Could these be adapted to suit the unique and diverse cultural environments in New York?

5. Can effective suicide prevention programs be tailored to specifically target the high rates of suicide and suicide attempts among young Hispanic women and Asian American women?

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Hispanic and Asian American Women and Suicide are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Elana Marton
Associate Counsel
Assembly Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
Room 522 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: martone@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4371
Fax: (518) 455-4693

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required: