CC 09-21-2021 Item No. 16 Suicide Prevention Policy_Written CommunicationsCC 09-21-21
#16
Suicide Prevention
Policy
Written Comments
1
Cyrah Caburian
From:Amavisca, Andrea <Andrea.Amavisca@sen.ca.gov>
Sent:Monday, September 20, 2021 3:12 PM
To:City Council
Subject:Suicide Prevention Policy: Letter of Support from Senator Cortese
Attachments:9-20 Letter to Cupertino City Council Members.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the
sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Honorable Members,
Please see the attached letter of support from Senator Dave Cortese regarding the resolution to approve the addition of
a Suicide Prevention Policy, which will be considered by the Council tomorrow evening.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (916) 651‐4015.
Thank you,
Andrea Amavisca
Legislative Aide | Office of Senator Dave Cortese
Office: 916.651.4015
She/Her/Hers
September 20, 2021
Honorable Members of the Cupertino City Council
Cupertino City Hall
10300 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014
Dear Honorable Members:
I respectfully urge the Cupertino City Council to adopt the Suicide Prevention Policy under consideration. In
doing so, the City of Cupertino would join eight other cities in the County of Santa Clara that have already
adopted such a policy.
The challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have ignited a mental health crisis across the country.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than
one-third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression during the pandemic. The findings
among young people and children are even more striking: in 2020, nearly half (49%) of Americans between the
ages of 18-29 exhibited symptoms of anxiety or depression, and the proportion of mental health-related
emergency department visits among adolescents aged 12-17 years increased by 31% from 2019.
During a time when mental health challenges have grown for so many, especially our youth, we must expand
existing support systems while creating new ones to meet the additional need. In recognition of the mental
health crisis, the State invested hundreds of millions of dollars to support immediate mental health needs as well
as early intervention services, which play a crucial role in suicide prevention.
The City of Cupertino has a timely opportunity to promote awareness of suicide and critical prevention
resources among its community members by adopting a Suicide Prevention Policy. The policy falls in line with
the Santa Clara County Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan, which I proudly supported the adoption of as County
Supervisor in 2010. It is our duty as elected officials to ensure the health and wellbeing of our communities. As
such, I strongly support the adoption of a Suicide Prevention Policy by the City of Cupertino.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Dave Cortese
California State Senate, 15th District
senator.cortese@sen.ca.gov
sd15.sen.ca.gov
1
Cyrah Caburian
From:Vaughn Villaverde <vaughn.villaverde@aaci.org>
Sent:Monday, September 20, 2021 3:13 PM
To:City Council
Subject:Submitting Letter of Support: Suicide Prevention Policy (City Council agenda item 16)
Attachments:09.21.21 Cupertino CC Suicide Prevention Policy - AACI Support Letter.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the
sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please accept the attached letter submitted on behalf of Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), in support
of agenda item number 16 on tomorrow’s Cupertino City Council agenda. Thank you and please contact me with any
questions.
Sincerely,
Vaughn Villaverde, MPH (he/him)
Director of Advocacy
AACI
2400 Moorpark Ave, Suite 300
San Jose, CA 95128
Office: (408) 975‐2730 x425
Mobile: (562) 480‐4373
www.aaci.org
“*IMPORTANT: The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential. They are intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you have received this email by mistake, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose
the contents to anyone or make copies thereof”
Moorpark Office
Gordon N. Chan Community Services Center
2400 Moorpark Ave. Suite #300
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 975-2730 www.aaci.org
September 21, 2021
Mayor Darcy Paul, and
Members of the City Council
City of Cupertino
10350 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014
Subject: Please enact a Citywide suicide prevention policy (City Council agenda item 16)
Dear Cupertino City Council,
On behalf of Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), I am writing to urge the
Cupertino City Council to enact a citywide suicide prevention policy, as proposed in item
number 16 on the September 21, 2021 City Council agenda.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous amount of strain on individuals and families
across our communities, exacerbating the already high amount of stress they were coping with
prior to the pandemic. As a major provider of mental health services in Santa Clara County,
AACI has seen a significant increase in the demand for our services, with the greatest priority
placed on addressing mental health crises, including those that could potentially lead to suicide.
With mental health providers across the county and across the state struggling to keep up with
the high need in the community, it is imperative that local jurisdictions engage in sustained and
multidisciplinary efforts to prevent suicides and provide support and resources to both
individuals and families.
Santa Clara County, along with eight other cities in the region have enacted robust suicide
prevention policies, covering about 83 percent of the region’s population. These programs range
from trainings for identifying warning signs and for deescalating situations, to data collection and
analysis to inform future policy and programming. By destigmatizing the issue, a suicide
prevention policy could enable those considering suicide to talk about what they are going
through and seek help.
We thank the City Council for considering this important legislation, especially during National
Suicide Prevention Month. We urge you to adopt this critical policy and to continue actively
working with the community on ways to support its residents experiencing mental health crises.
And as always, AACI stands ready to work with our governmental and community partners to
address health, behavioral health, and wellness needs of our diverse communities.
Sincerely,
Vaughn Villaverde
Director of Advocacy
1
Cyrah Caburian
From:Don V <thedenzels@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, September 21, 2021 10:32 AM
To:City Council
Subject:In support of suicide prevention
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the
sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor and City Council of Cupertino:
I applaud your resolution to address the tragedy of suicide in our time and place. From my
perspective as a gun violence prevention advocate, suicide
accounts for 2/3 of all firearm deaths in the United States (which ranks second highest in the
world behind Brazil). These statistics are shocking
if you aren't already sickeningly familiar with them, and of course they don't begin to measure or
express the personal pain and suffering of individual victims
and survivors.
In addition to congratulating you on your suicide prevention policy, I hope Cupertino will consider
adopting "Safe Storage" as a follow‐up. This is a proven
tool to "restrict access to lethal means," and also reduces accidental shootings and the flow of
crime guns (via residential burglary) into the community.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Don Veith
Santa Clara County Chapter of Brady United
Silicon Valley Alliance for Gun Safety