ALBANY, NY – Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) and Senator Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) have released a joint report highlighting a suicide crisis in New York State.
The report cites that suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in New York and one person dies by suicide every five hours in the State. This year alone, three people committed suicide by jumping to their deaths from the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York City. Twelve NYPD officers committed suicide in 2019, including two retired officers, causing the Department to declare a mental health emergency. Reports are now public concerning the crisis of youths committing suicide at an alarming rate as well as the elderly.
Key findings in the report included that the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) must improve its ability to identify individuals at risk of suicide, more prevention must be focused in schools, hotlines, where people can seek help, must be improved, and stigma surrounding suicide must be addressed.
“As a society, we are truly in crisis. More and more people are choosing suicide as a way to cope with depression, stress, and grief,” said State Senator David Carlucci. “Senator Rivera and I issued this report with the intent of bringing comprehensive reforms to the table. Suicide can’t be hidden behind a curtain, but must be discussed and addressed before we lose more lives.”
