releases: http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=3BAA5109-6ADB-450D-9686-3DA0030C8CF4
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=3BAA5109-6ADB-450D-9686-3DA0030C8CF4 | Rep. Noem Returns To Pine Ridge For Youth Suicide Issue | 2015-11-21 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | SD | Kristi Noem | N000184 | noem.house.gov | legacy | KELOLAND Representative Kristi Noem returned to the Pine Ridge Reservation Friday to talk about the area's suicide problem, and this time she brought along a key member of Congress on youth mental health issues. It's an ongoing tragedy that won't leave Rep. Kristi Noem alone. Five weeks after she heard first-hand accounts of suicides and near misses, Noem returned to Pine Ridge with Pennsylvania Rep. Tim Murphy. Murphy is a child psychologist who's now pushing a sweeping mental-health reform bill. He was moved, too. "To listen to the stories today from school, and their tragic stories, and know how much weight they are carrying around in their hearts," Murphy said. It's weight that kills, month after month. "Just here at the Pine Ridge facility, we know that from December of 2014 to November 14 of 2015, that there were 20 suicides ending in death," said Indian Health Service Area Director Ron Cornelius. "We just buried one this morning, an 18-year-old tribal member," said suicide-prevention worker Yvonne "Tiny" DeCory. "We had another one a few weeks ago." She fears it'll get even worse if the cash-strapped Sweetgrass Suicide Prevention program closes in a few weeks. "That's a program that's used to give hope to students and youth and turn their lives around," Noem said. "The fact that it's ending in December means we've got to figure out ways to extend that program and keep their funds flowing." Murphy's presence in Pine Ridge and the mental health law overhaul he is guiding through Congress could matter there. "We needed to see a place like this to know how we could treat the bill and modify it so funding and mental health services could get to a place like this," he said. Maybe in time to save lives. Along with funding issues, Noem, Murphy and Indian Health Service officials spoke with community members about establishing youth suicide-prevention therapy centers. An initial plan would put one at the IHS facility in Rapid City, but Pine Ridge community members are pushing for one closer to home. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |