What’s Happening with Physician-Assisted Suicide in NH?
HB 1283 presents a significant concern for our state as it seeks to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The NH Coalition for Suicide Prevention is actively opposing this bill, recognizing its potential to normalize suicide and hurt ongoing suicide prevention efforts. We urge your support in opposing HB 1283. Legalizing physician-assisted suicide would indeed have far-reaching and adverse effects, particularly for vulnerable populations such as individuals with disabilities, those with chronic conditions like brain injuries, veterans, the elderly, and others who may already be at risk of suicidal ideation.
Here is what you can do:
HB 1283 passed the House by a very close vote of 179-176. A Senate Health and Human Services Committee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday 4/24/2024 at 10:00 a.m. in NH State House room 103 in Concord. Please plan to attend and tell your story, and call and write your state Senator and tell them how feel. Sign in HERE.
Please Help Oppose HB 1283 In These Ways:
If you are an NH resident, call your state Senator e in opposition to HB 1283. Click here to find your State Senator
Write a letter to the editor for your local newspaper, letting your neighborhood know what is at stake for NH. If you haven’t written a letter to the editor before, download our tip sheet. To download a list of all New Hampshire news publications, click here.
Share these calls to action and our blog posts on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/zerosuicidesNH
NH Coalition for Suicide Prevention (@zero_suicides_nh) • Instagram photos and videos
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Count Us In: Take the Pledge Toward Zero Suicides
“Policy change plays a vital role in supporting suicide prevention efforts” (20th Annual NH Suicide Prevention Conference 2023).
Join with the New Hampshire disability community and state veteran’s organizations in our commitment to reduce suicide and work toward the ultimate goal of zero suicides.
NH citizens living with disability are at extremely high risk for suicide – four times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. NH’s veterans living with disability, especial those living with TBI and PTSD, are at an even higher risk for suicide – eight times more than the general population.
Take the Pledge toward zero suicides in New Hampshire:
I AGREE TO THE COUNT US IN PLEDGE:
JOIN THE COUNT US IN PLEDGE:
Count us in…top priority to improve access to community-based supports and services for individuals living with disability at-risk for suicide. Special emphasis on access to long term supports and services for veterans living with TBI and PTSD within the civilian system of care for veterans unable to access adequate VA services.
Count us in… top legislative priority to stand against efforts to open the door to the legislative approval of suicide or its legalization as an acceptable option for ending your life.
To call on lawmakers to oppose legislation that will weaken the states suicide prevention efforts by medicalizing suicide as appropriate health care for vulnerable persons; making the facilitation of suicide an acceptable medical procedure (such as Physician Assisted Suicide or Medical Aid in Dying).
Count us in…to improve access to long-term palliative care and palliative care psychiatry for persons living with disability and for veterans with TBI/PTSD, in all settings, including access to at-home palliative care.
Count us in…to ensure that persons living with disability and veterans living with TBI/PTSD have access to screening to identify those with co-occurring mental illness, substance use and TBI/PTSD in community-based settings.
Count us in…to increase “help seeking” culture and referrals within NH for persons living with disability and veterans with TBI/PTSD.
Count us in….to end ableism and discrimination against individuals living with disability. Especially any new laws that send a message that would devalue the daily lived experience of disabled individuals – such as feelings of burdensomeness, loss of autonomy or control, physical symptoms etc.
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