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Assembly adopts resolution designating September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Summary
The California Assembly unanimously adopted ACR 70, sponsored by Assemblymember Pellerin, to designate September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and urge expanded awareness, training and use of the 988 lifeline. Members shared personal testimony and called for destigmatizing language and improved access to crisis services.
The California State Assembly on Aug. 20 adopted Assembly Concurrent Resolution 70, designating September 2025 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Author Assemblymember Pellerin urged colleagues to recognize the human toll of suicide and to adopt language that frames suicide as a health issue, not a crime.
Pellerin told colleagues she had lost her husband to suicide and said, “suicide and mental health is preventable; we need to prevent suicide and mental health conditions can be treated.” She asked members to use non‑stigmatizing language — for example, to say someone “died by suicide” rather than “committed suicide.”
Members across the aisle described personal encounters with suicide and urged action to expand crisis counseling and awareness of available resources. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzales recounted the loss of colleagues and described how small acts of presence helped him through his grief: “I say God intervened by using one of his creatures to come over and show me comfort,” he said.
Supporters stressed concrete steps that jurisdictions and institutions can take, including promoting the 988 crisis line and scaling training so that schools, workplaces and faith communities can recognize warning signs and connect people to services. Members emphasized culturally appropriate and language‑accessible outreach for communities with higher observed rates of suicide.
After roughly 50 minutes of floor testimony, the author closed and the Assembly took a voice vote. The presiding officer announced, “the ayes have it,” and the resolution was adopted and transmitted to the Senate. The resolution is ceremonial; it calls for awareness, training and encouragement of existing state and federal crisis resources rather than imposing new regulatory requirements.
The next procedural steps are transmittal to the Senate for their receipt; no implementing regulations or budget actions were authorized on the Assembly floor during debate.
