Alaska Youth Push Suicide Prevention Fund

0:00From Anchorage, this is your March 20th update. Youth advocates in Alaska are pushing lawmakers to create a suicide prevention fund by adding a small fee to monthly phone bills. The idea comes from House Bill 138 and Senate Bill 196, which aimed to charge 98 cents per line for wireless and landline users. This surcharge could raise between 6 million and 8 million dollars each year. The money would boost services like the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, mobile crisis teams, and stabilization centers across the state. Young people from remote areas, like Jacob Nikolai from Toxit Bay, shared painful stories at a rally in Juno. He spoke about losing loved ones to suicide and how it shattered his family, urging action to help others. Representative Genevieve Mina from Anchorage sponsored the House Bill. Her own father died by suicide when she was young, making this cause deeply personal for her. The Bill's are stuck in committee with no clear path forward this session.

1:02If you're in crisis, dial 988 for help, text talk to 7-4-1741 or call 2-1-1 for local resources. The Daily News Now is made possible with support from our sponsor. It is a pillow that plays your podcast and music without earbuds. Support for listening in bed, S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com