The New York State Office of Mental Health today reconvened the Suicide Prevention Task Force to bolster prevention efforts statewide and with a renewed focus on helping at-risk populations such as communities of color disproportionally impacted by suicide or suicidal ideation. Established in partnership with OMH’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York, the Task Force will build on existing prevention efforts and explore the mental health challenges laid bare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Countless New Yorkers had their mental wellness strained and profoundly impacted by the pandemic,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “This pandemic also highlighted the disparities in care that exist for at risk communities. This Task Force will build on existing prevention strategies and elevate the voices of individuals in these communities to develop recommendations to ensure a more equitable and inclusive suicide prevention plan in New York State.”

The Task Force will build upon the work the state’s 2017 Suicide Prevention Task Force, which delivered its final report in April 2019. These critical recommendations included strengthening foundations for public health suicide prevention approaches; building health system competencies and pathways to mental health care; improving surveillance methods, tools, and access to timely data; and infusing cultural competence throughout suicide prevention activities.

Suicide claimed the lives of 1,660 New Yorkers in 2021. It is the second leading cause of death among individuals between the age of 25 and 34, and the third leading cause of death for youth and young adults between the age of 10 and 24.

While the suicide rate in New York State has remained relatively stable since 2012, a recent report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted racial/ethnic disparities, including among black and Hispanic individuals. The report showed the suicide rate among Black individuals increased by about 19 percent and 7 percent among Hispanic individuals between 2018 and 2021.

The Task Force recommendations will build on existing efforts focused on these populations.

Earlier this month, OMH announced the availability of $15 million in suicide prevention grants for non-profit agencies and tribal organizations serving at-risk youth or young adults from historically underserved, racial and ethnic minority populations, and LGBQIA+ groups. The funding availability –part of a $1 billion effort to expand New York State’s continuum of mental health care –is aimed helping these programs incorporate unique cultural factors into their suicide prevention strategies.