April 6th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

A Maryland bill aims to shed light on suicides by identifying trends and patterns in an effort to prevent them. WTOP reports Del. Lisa Belcastro said she has not been directly affected by suicide but in her work with the legislation, which includes mental health and suicide, she has learned how many people across the state, including in her district, have been “touched by suicide.”

She has been looking into ways to create legislation aimed at prevention, and she saw how one county in Oregon came up with a suicide review panel and developed interventions to identify people who might be considering taking their lives.

That led her to sponsor HB48, which would establish a Maryland Suicide Fatality Review Committee.