AFSP Advocates Urge Congress to Fund Suicide Prevention During First-Ever Capitol Hill Fly-In Event

On September 10, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention held its first-ever Capitol Hill Fly-In — an event in which volunteer advocates whose members of Congress serve on the Appropriations Committees and other key committees were invited to Washington, D.C., to meet with their member of Congress and Congressional staff. This first Fly-In event, made possible by a generous donation from the AFSP Illinois chapter, was a powerful opportunity to advocate for federal funding for lifesaving mental health policies and to urge Congress to fund critical suicide prevention programs to help save lives.

Thirteen advocates from select Congressional districts came to Capitol Hill, joined by AFSP CEO Bob Gebbia, to meet with their members of Congress and staff as they shaped federal funding priorities. The voices of our invited, in-person advocates were amplified by thousands of volunteer advocates who sent more than 2,500 emails to their member of Congress from home through the AFSP public policy action center in support of our key requests and chapters, and partner organizations who elevated our advocacy messages on social media.

Through 39 in-person meetings on Capitol Hill, our advocates called on Congress to invest in critical programs, requesting:  

1. $30M for the CDC’s Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program
2. $534.6M for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
3. $2.19B for the National Institute of Mental Health

Kelsey Pacetti, AFSP Wisconsin Board Chair and one of AFSP’s Fly-In participants, said this about the event: “One of my favorite ways to volunteer with AFSP is through advocacy. As a suicide attempt survivor, it empowers me to use my voice for change. At the Capitol Fly-In we had three asks. One was advocating for increased funding for the CDC's Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program. This issue is important to me for a number of reasons — one being the resiliency programming in schools. Programming like this supported me in my college years and supported me in my own mental health journey — helping me find hope. As a school counselor and someone who studied social work, advocacy is at the heart of what I do, and participating at this level allows me to bring that work into larger spaces. The Capitol Fly-In and the Advocacy Forum allow people with lived experiences to have meaningful conversations that make a lasting impact.”

During the Fly-In, AFSP honored volunteer Steve Moore for his longstanding support of the AFSP Illinois chapter and tireless advocacy to advance suicide prevention and promote mental health, presenting him with a flag flown over Capitol Hill at the request of Senator Tammy Duckworth (IL). An AFSP Illinois chapter board member from 2009 through 2024, Steve served as the Illinois chapter public policy chair, led the chapter’s Advocacy Forum team, and organized its State Capital Day/Advocacy Action Day. He also served on AFSP’s National Public Policy Council from 2012-2024. Among his many accomplishments, in 2019, Steve drafted a bill and organized support for the eventual law that created a state-funded office for suicide prevention.

Steve said, “It was gratifying to know that our meetings were with members of Congress and staff that are in a leadership position on appropriations. We knew that we had an opportunity to make a difference in our nation’s spending on suicide prevention.”

AFSP is pleased that the recent FY2026 House and Senate appropriations bills reported out of the Appropriations Committees have funded our key programs at or near our requested levels, but there is still more to do. Your voice is critical in making sure lawmakers understand the importance of funding suicide prevention and mental health research and programs. Join us in taking action to prevent suicide.