Finger Lakes Today

A bipartisan bill is currently awaiting the decision of Governor Kathy Hochul, aiming to address the issue of suicide in rural areas across New York state. This legislative proposal comes in response to a report from the University of Chicago released last year, which highlighted that the suicide rate in these rural regions is twice as high as that in urban areas.

The bill, introduced by State Senator Pam Helming, proposes the establishment of a Rural Suicide Prevention Council. According to Helming, "This task force would be charged with pinpointing exactly what it is we should be doing in our rural communities to reduce the number of suicides and the number of families who are being destroyed by suicide deaths."

Helming emphasized that significant efforts have been made to enhance mental health and suicide prevention resources in urban settings. The proposed council aims to develop a framework specifically designed for rural communities throughout New York state, taking into account their unique cultural differences.