Alli Hamlen

I oppose this bill because teachers and school staff are some of the adult that students see almost every day throughout over half the year. When I was in middle school (8th grade) I had a friend who revealed to me she was severely depressed and suicidal. I was able to save her life only because of the help of my social studies teacher and the school’s guidance counselors. This girl is now my best friend and no longer has lost her purpose in this world, thanks to the staff of my middle school. This being said, if my social studies teacher had no knowledge of suicide prevention and didn’t know what steps to take, my friend wouldn’t have gotten the help she needed and most likely wouldn’t be here today. With suicide being the second leading cause of death in New Hampshire for youth ages 10-24, I know my story is not unique. This bill could end numerous lives in our future generations and rise the rates of suicide in youth to an unspeakable number, which is why I strongly disagree in it’s addition.