Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E827-E828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING JOANI MOLLER AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK
______
HON. CYNTHIA AXNE
of iowa
in the house of representatives
Friday, September 11, 2020
Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, September is National Suicide Prevention
month. In light of this, I rise to ask the House of Representatives to
join me in recognizing Joani Moller, the Area Director for the Iowa
Chapter of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, as our Iowan of
the Week.
In Iowa, one person dies by suicide every 18 hours. It is the second
leading cause of death amongst people ages 15-34 and is the ninth
leading cause of death in the state overall. Iowa finds itself in a
particularly concerning situation as farmers remain at highest risk of
death by suicide. And as we continue to see the effects of isolation
during the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health across the board, suicide
rates are an immediate concern.
Thankfully, we have people like Joani Moller dedicated to the mission
of eliminating suicides in Iowa. After 20 years of non-profit work,
Joani became Area Director of the American Foundation of Suicide
Prevention (AFSP) Iowa Chapter just over a year ago. In
[[Page E828]]
the short time since, she has managed to build their board, collaborate
with new community organizations to support their suicide awareness and
fundraising events, and build coalitions with other suicide prevention
organizations in Polk County. She is inspired by her volunteers'
dedication to the mission of AFSP and the stories they share with her.
``When I started for AFSP, it was shocking to me how many people's
lives have been touched by suicide,'' said Joani. At the age of 18, she
too experienced the loss of her boyfriend when he took his life.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Iowa is a grassroots
organization that focuses on eliminating death by suicide through
programming, events, and providing vital resources to Iowans in need.
Their programs educate people from different backgrounds about the
risk factors and warning signs of suicide. They also work hard to raise
much-needed funds for research and programs that provide support to
people who have lost individuals to suicide.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, AFSP's Iowa Chapters have successfully
transitioned their in-person programming to virtual offerings,
providing over 500 presentations in just four months. They have also
created an additional program: Enhancing Mental Health during COVID-19.
Preventing suicides is no small task. Joani believes that continuing
to have conversations is a critical part of suicide prevention as it
destigmatizes the topic and makes people more comfortable confronting
it. As new obstacles continue to present themselves during this
pandemic, we are fortunate and grateful to have people like her running
vital organizations in Iowa. While Joani humbly credits the success of
AFSP to her volunteers, we know it would not be the organization that
it is today without her dedication towards its success and the
elimination of suicide in the state of Iowa.
It is my honor to recognize Joani Moller as our Iowan of the Week. I
will continue to work in Congress to ensure everyone has access to
accessible and affordable health and mental health care so that Joani's
goal of zero suicides becomes a reality.
____________________