The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Honors National Council for Behavioral Health President Linda Rosenberg for Exceptional Service

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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Jun 24, 2015, 08:03 ET

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Each year in the United States, suicide claims over 41,000 lives – more than war, murder, and natural disasters combined. On Tuesday, June 23, 2015, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the largest suicide prevention organization in the United States, presented the Allies in Action Nonprofit Partner Award to Linda Rosenberg, president of the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH) for her exemplary work in increasing access to mental health care services and in preventing suicide. More than 240 AFSP volunteer field advocates from all 50 states were in attendance as part of the organization's Advocacy Forum.

"For six years we have been honoring elected officials and partners outside of government who have helped us push mental health and suicide prevention to the forefront of healthcare reform and mental health parity. With contributions like Ms. Rosenberg's and her organization, we are much closer to achieving our goal of reducing the suicide rate 20 percent by the year 2025," said John Madigan, AFSP vice president of public policy. "This award recognizes the invaluable collaboration of Ms. Rosenberg and the NCBH team and AFSP on issues like The Excellence in Mental Health Act, our joint Mental Health Consumer Tools and now in Mental Health First Aid. Our work together will save lives."

Ms. Rosenberg is also being honored for helping to lead the partnership between the NCBH and AFSP on Mental Health First Aid, a national program to teach the skills to respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use. The NCBH created this program and partnered with AFSP to share it in local communities through AFSP's grassroots network. Through this partnership with AFSP, over 800 AFSP chapter volunteers and staff have been trained in this program to date. MHFA teaches:

Signs of addictions and mental illnesses
5-step action plan to assess a situation and help
Impact of mental and substance use disorders
Local resources and where to turn for help

To find a Mental Health First Aid program near you, visit here: http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/take-a-course/find-a-course/

** Photos of the award being presented available upon request. **

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention leads the fight against suicide. We fund research, offer educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has 75 local chapters with programs and events nationwide. Review our Annual Report to learn more about AFSP's life-saving work. Join the national conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.