WASHINGTON: Biden government launched a new initiative aimed at reducing suicide with a gun and combat significant increase in suicide by members of the military and veterans.
The White House announced a new plan on Tuesday, the officials said were an unprecedented focus by the federal government about reducing the risk of suicide through the awareness campaign and training and new regulations to increase the availability of weapons storage products.
The plan called for federal agents, including the Department of Defense, domestic security, the Department of Justice, Health and Human Service, Veteran Affairs and Office Department of Emergency Transportation Medical Services to create a public awareness campaign to encourage weapons storage and safer training for counselors, respondents’ crisis and others.
This effort also includes the Ministry of Justice that completes the rules that are first proposed in 2016 and will require shops that sell firearms also offer weapons storage and safe safety devices, the White House said.
In 2019, firearms were the most commonly used methods in suicide death in the United States, contributing nearly 24,000 deaths, or slightly more than half of all suicidal deaths, according to federal health statistics.
Experts say many people who live their lives using weapons usually have quick access to firearms and tend to become owners of weapons or family members.
As part of the plan, alcohol bureau, tobacco, firearms and explosives will distribute a guide for firearms dealers that spell both steps of safety needed by law and additional steps recommended by the federal government.
This guide will also detail the focus of the Ministry of Justice on the prosecution of the crime of the pistol and violation of the law of the federal firearm.
Administration said ATF would also “try to revoke the first dealer license they violated federal law,” with a limited exception to “extraordinary circumstances.” The violation will include sales of weapons to someone who legally cannot have them legally, failed to carry out a background check, falsify a federal note or refuse to work together in the required ATF inspection.
The federal government will also make a map to help people find a place to store weapons safely outside their homes, officials said.
Officials will also expand efforts in the veteran department that focuses on planning for suicide prevention and safety, along with training for family members of people who can risk higher to commit suicide, administrative officials said.
Annual Defense Secretary Calendar Report released in September showed that 580 military personnel, including 384 active task service members, died of suicide in 2020.
The suicide level among active task service members has increased statistically since 2015, said That report.
There has been no statistical change for reserves and national guard members over the same period of time, according to the report.
Many firearms dealers have increased suicide prevention efforts because the number of weapons sales in the US rose to historic highest in January, continuing a surge that began when the Coronavirus pandemic took place at the beginning of 2020.
Some firearm dealers had also begun to hand out or offer cards with telephone numbers HOTLINE AND TIPS Prevention of suicide to identify signs of depression or other mental health problems.