My brother-in-law, Jason Staley, died by suicide on Nov. 5, 2020.
My husband and I purchased his truck and wanted to put a vanity tag on it that said, “MSSUBRO.” We wanted it on a suicide-prevention specialty tag, so we could support the cause. However, the state of Delaware doesn’t have one.
I reached out to the Division of Motor Vehicles, and at the time, the process seemed too daunting of a task to handle.
On the one-year anniversary of Jason’s passing, I knew there was more I could do to respect and honor him. I knew this tag could help other Delawareans in the same situation Jason had been in, as well as the people who found themselves in our unfortunate situation, losing a loved one to suicide.
I contacted Jason’s state representative, Jeffrey Spiegelman, R-Clayton, and asked him for help turning my idea into reality. He said he could help, and by mid-February, a bill was drafted in honor of Jason. House Bill No. 350 can be viewed at legis.delaware.gov (search “350”).
The DMV requires 200 interested applicants to sign, saying they were willing to pay a one-time fee of $50 to own a suicide-prevention license plate. I didn’t have social media, so I immediately started emailing and texting all of my contacts. I even emailed news and radio stations, and on March 23, 2022, I was on a local radio station’s morning show, connecting with more people who wanted to be a part of this unique opportunity. In a little over a month, we reached Jason’s first 200! We still need interested applicants to sign in case some of the first 200 aren’t eligible for the plate. You can sign up at afsp.org/delaware (click “License Plate”).
Last week, I gave testimony at the first committee hearing on the bill at Legislative Hall. It sounds like they think the bill would be passed. We still need more Delawareans to reach out to their state representatives and ask them to support House Bill 350.
This legislation will create Delaware’s first suicide-prevention license plate/specialty tag. Part of the proceeds from the tag come back to the Delaware chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to fund resources, research and support for suicide prevention in our state. By purchasing this plate, we could help save the life of someone in crisis. This is a win-win to me! To find your state rep, visit legis.delaware.gov/FindMyLegislator. A quick email saying you support House Bill 350 and asking that they support it, too, is all that is needed.
I started the process hoping to help me and my family and “some” Delawareans. The more I reached out to people and heard their stories, the more I realized this would touch more people than we know. There are so many people who have lost someone to suicide. People want to help any way they can to make sure other people don’t feel like they do and, hopefully, help save someone in the process.
I also think the license plate can be a small step in someone’s recovery and grieving process. Not only would it benefit those who miss their loved one, but money put into that plate could help save the life of someone else.
Knowing that it could save a person who felt like Jason, or someone who is living with losing a loved one to suicide, that’s why I’m fighting for Delaware’s first suicide-prevention license plate.
I hope you will stand with me and fight to make this a reality.
Jen Staley
Marydel
