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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Merily H. Keller has distinguished herself as a |
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steadfast advocate for mental health in the State of Texas |
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throughout her many years of service as a co-coordinator and |
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founding board member of the Texas Suicide Prevention Council; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Keller's tireless efforts have helped TSPC grow |
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to include more than 70 local coalitions, which are united in their |
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commitment to reducing incidents of suicide in Texas; a statewide |
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master trainer for the organization, she developed an |
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evidence-based suicide prevention program called "ASK," along with |
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a number of apps, videos, and other instructional materials, and |
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she authored and edited "Coming Together to Care: A Suicide |
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Prevention and Postvention Toolkit for Texas Communities"; she also |
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serves on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's ad hoc |
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Postvention Task Force, which assists schools and communities in |
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the aftermath of youth suicide attempts and deaths; along the way, |
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she has assisted in the passage of legislation allowing Texas |
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communities to share timely data on deaths by suicide and requiring |
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suicide prevention plans to be implemented at all Texas school |
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districts; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Keller has long been a leader and a catalyst for |
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change, having been part of the steering team that wrote the Texas |
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State Plan for Suicide Prevention in 2002; in addition, she was |
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among the founders of the Central Texas Chapter of the American |
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Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Austin/Travis County |
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Suicide Prevention Coalition; before helping to establish TSPC, she |
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worked as a coordinator for the Texas GLS Youth Suicide Prevention |
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Project, with a focus on sharing evidence-based practices with |
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communities across the state; and |
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WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, |
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Ms. Keller embarked on her career in mental health education and |
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suicide prevention after spending more than 25 years in the field of |
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communications and education outreach; today, she regularly speaks |
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and trains on a variety of topics and strategies for suicide |
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prevention and postvention, as well as delivers presentations and |
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attends panels for state and regional suicide prevention summits; |
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she is the recipient of numerous accolades for her work, including a |
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2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from Women Communicators of Austin; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through her leadership in TSPC and her involvement |
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in a multitude of other organizations, Merily Keller has done |
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tremendous work to make suicide prevention a public health priority |
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in the State of Texas, and her contributions have earned her the |
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profound respect and appreciation of many; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Merily H. Keller for her service as |
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cofounder and co-coordinator of the Texas Suicide Prevention |
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Council and extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Keller as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |