Res 0493-2026

Res. No. 493 ..Title Resolution declaring April 7 as White Star Family Day in the City of New York ..Body By Council Members Ariola, Morano, Louis, Aldebol, Maloney, Brooks-Powers and Paladino Whereas, White Star Families is an unofficial, grassroots term used to describe families who have lost a Servicemember or Veteran to suicide, distinguishing them from federally recognized Gold Star Families, whose loved ones died in combat or while serving on active duty; and Whereas, Unlike Gold Star Families, White Star Families receive no formal federal designation, ceremonial recognition, or guaranteed survivor benefits linked specifically to suicide loss, which can compound grief, isolation, and postloss hardships; and Whereas, A 2023 scoping review of 51 studies found that families of Veterans who die by suicide often experience “complicated grief”—a persistent and intense yearning that severely interferes with daily life—as well as survivor guilt, stigma, and elevated mental health risks, including depression and suicidality among surviving family members; and Whereas, According to the review, despite being directly affected by suicide outcomes, Veteran families are rarely centered in suicideprevention interventions; and Whereas, Suicide loss in military and Veteran families has also been linked to longterm economic strain, particularly when deaths occur after service and do not trigger lineofduty survivor benefits; and Whereas, Nationally, Veterans die by suicide at more than twice the rate of nonVeterans, and in 2023, 6,398 U.S. Veterans died by suicide—an average of 17.5 Veteran deaths per day—according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and Whereas, In 2023, 167 New York State (NYS) Veterans died by suicide, the highest number in more than 20 years, representing a 25.8% increase from 2022 and far outpacing the national Veteran suicide increase of 1.4% during the same period, per data from the VA; and Whereas, Additionally, Veterans ages 18 to 34 in NYS had a suicide rate of 42.3 per 100,000 in 2023—nearly five times the rate of civilians in the same age group—placing young Veterans among the highestrisk populations; and Whereas, Similar trends were seen in New York City (NYC or “City”) where a 2024 New York Health Foundation report on Deaths of Despair and Suicide Among NYC Veterans, found that between 2012 and 2022, NYC Veterans died by suicide at approximately twice the rate of NYC civilians, and suicide rates were highest among young Veterans ages 18–34 and white Veterans who were more than 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide than Black Veterans; and Whereas, Per the report’s finding, the Bronx had the highest rates of Veteran suicide among the five boroughs and across the entire state; and Whereas, Despite the high rates of suicide among Veterans, there is no official count of White Star Families in the United States, as neither the Department of Defense nor the VA tracks families bereaved by Veteran suicide as a distinct population; and Whereas, In New York, Veteran suicideprevention efforts are increasingly framed as a publichealth and familyimpact issue, yet State and City reports still lack a dedicated category recognizing White Star Families; and Whereas, Researchers and Veteranserving organizations consistently conclude that formal recognition of White Star Families is critical to reducing stigma, improving access to coordinated support, and addressing the full social and familial impact of Veteran suicide; and Whereas, Approximately 560,000 Veterans and 28,596 activeduty Servicemembers reside in NYS, including an estimated 125,000 to 200,000 Veterans in NYC, and each Veteran or Servicemember death by suicide is a profound loss to the City and to surviving families who are often left without recognition or coordinated support; and Whereas, It is imperative that the sacrifices of White Star Families are not forgotten and that they are served with the same dedication as they have served our nation; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York declares April 7 as White Star Family Day in the City of New York. LS #22281 5/28/2026 M.B.