Sen. Velis Receives Award for Leadership in Suicide Prevention

BOSTON — During a recent ceremony at the Massachusetts State House, the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) presented the Leadership in Suicide Prevention award to state Sen. John Velis. This award follows years of dedicated work by Velis to bolster behavioral-health resources, including suicide-prevention programs, among both the civilian and military-connected populations.

The Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention is a statewide organization of community activists, healthcare professionals, crisis workers, and those impacted by suicide. Over the last 20 years, MCSP has been actively working to reduce barriers to mental health, substance-addiction recovery, domestic-violence shelters, and other community services.

“I am truly honored to receive this recognition for my work in the behavioral space, an issue so near and dear to my heart. At the end of the day, as we continue to work to bolster access to behavioral-health programs, it’s imperative that people know that help is out there and things can and will get better,” said Velis, who chairs the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery.

“I would also be remiss if I did not acknowledge the hundreds of folks across our state working on the ground each day to form relationships and answer folks when they raise their hands and ask for help. What we do up on Beacon Hill is only one piece of the much larger life-saving work that is happening every single day in our communities because of these providers and volunteers.”

Following reports last summer that showed that the Army’s suicide rate in peacetime has now exceeded total combat deaths in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Velis held a roundtable at Holyoke Community College on how suicide can be prevented among the Commonwealth’s service members. After the award ceremony, Velis shared that he will continue to demand a comprehensive response across the U.S. to address these alarming statistics.