For Immediate Release
Contact: Erin Baker, Communications Director
202.966.7300, Ext. 119
ebaker@aacap.org
Adam Lowe, Communications Coordinator
202.966.7300, Ext. 154
alowe@aacap.org
Washington, D.C., April 28, 2009 - The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is proud to honor former Senator Gordon H. Smith and his wife, Mrs. Sharon Smith with its Friends of Children’s Mental Health Award in recognition of their public leadership after the loss of their son, Garrett Smith, to suicide in September 2003.
“Senator and Mrs. Smith’s work has brought visibility to suicide as a preventable public health problem,” said AACAP President Robert L. Hendren, D.O. “Their work has opened up access to critical mental heath services and will save lives.”
The Smiths’ advocacy was instrumental to the passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, legislation which provided critical funding for youth suicide prevention programs and improved counseling services on college campuses. Senator Smith also championed passage of the Mental Health Parity Act, along with inclusion of parity requirements for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and the Medicare program.
“While losing Garrett was the saddest and hardest challenge we as a family have faced, we know that his memory continues to live with every step we take toward tearing down the stigma associated with mental illness and improving care for those in need. Our commitment to the mental health community remains strong and we are honored to receive AACAP’s Friends of Children’s Mental Health Award,” said Senator and Mrs. Smith.
As board members for the advocacy groups the TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups and SPAN USA, as well as the Oregon Governors Task Force on Mental health, Senator and Mrs. Smith have helped to educate the public about the importance of depression awareness and suicide prevention.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for American college aged students,1 and is largely preventable as most individuals who commit suicide suffer from depression. Depression is a brain-based illness characterized by persistent feelings of hopelessness that interfere with a person’s ability to function. Major depression in children and adolescents can lead to school failure, alcohol and drug use, and in its most extreme cases, suicide. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at any point in time 1 in every 10 children and adolescents struggle with depression.
The AACAP is the leading national medical association of child and adolescent psychiatrists dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for the estimated 7-12 million American children and adolescents under 18 affected by emotional, behavioral, developmental and mental disorders.
For information on depression and suicide, please see AACAP’s Facts for Families on the AACAP’s Web site. For information on the Friends of Children’s Mental Health Award, contact AACAP’s Senior Deputy Executive Director, Kristin Kroeger Ptakowski at 202.966.7300 ext. 108 or kkroeger@aacap.org.
1. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control [NCIPC]. (2006). Leading Causes of Death and Fatal Injuries: Mortality Reports [Online Database]. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Available online at URL (11/06): http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/]
