The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Honors White House Staffer Bess Evans for Exceptional Service

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. The nation's largest organization dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention gave a Federal Award on Tuesday, June 14 at the Allies in Action Awards ceremony to White House staffer Bess Evans for her dedication to suicide prevention. Ms. Evans is the Associate Director and Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Public Engagement & Domestic Policy Council. Ms. Evans lost a close college friend to suicide.

"We thank Ms. Evans for collaborating with organizations like AFSP, which has led to an important dialogue on how to advance suicide prevention," said Bob Gebbia, AFSP CEO.

Through her own work in the White House, Bess has tirelessly promoted suicide prevention and mental health policies throughout the federal government, including the Affordable Care Act and efforts to ensure that people across the nation have health coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. 

Ms. Evans has been working at the White House for over four years and rose from being a Senior Policy Advisor for Public Engagement in the Office of Science and Technology Policy to her current role. Prior to joining the White House, Evans worked for the Justice Department and also worked on President Obama's campaign. Originally from Evanston, Illinois, Evans earned her bachelor's degree from DePauw University in sociology and communications.

** Photos of the award being presented available upon request. **

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention