BUFFALO, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul announced that John R. Oishei Children's Hospital of Buffalo would be awarded $2.9 million in suicide prevention services for at-risk youth.
The award is part of Hochul’s $15 million fund to develop suicide prevention services and an effort for historically underserved, LGBTQ+, as well as racial and ethnic groups.
“While New York’s suicide prevention efforts are nation-leading, we have seen alarming trends developing among youth and young adults since onset of the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago,” said Gov. Hochul. “These awards will help develop innovative and culturally appropriate programs to serve the mental health needs of the young New Yorkers – especially those at the center of these tragic trends.”
Five different organizations were selected for the funding distributed over the course of five years.
Those include:
- Contact Community Services Inc., Onondaga County; $2.9 million
- Child Center of New York, New York City; $3.4 million
- John R. Oishei Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Erie County; $2.9 million
- Access: Supports for Living Inc., Orange County, $2.9 million
- Comunilife Inc., Nassau County, $2.9 million
“By focusing prevention efforts on young New Yorkers at risk, we can connect them with critical and sometimes life-saving services they might not otherwise encounter during a mental health crisis,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “This funding will help community-based service providers to tailor innovative programs to connect with traditionally marginalized groups and help them address their mental health issues in a culturally competent manner.”
The $2.9 million to John R. Oishei Children's Hospital of Buffalo will go to expanding suicide prevention efforts in patients between 11-years-old and 21-years-old who are screened for suicide, not only those at the highest risk.
The awards are administered by the Office of Mental Health and funding awards are made through the Connecting Youth to Mental Health Supports program. It is aimed at developing community-based mental health services, building a sense of safety for at-risk patients, and creating partnerships to help people access treatment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found distressing mental health trends in high-school aged children.
“Nearly a third of teen girls seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021, an increase from 19 percent the prior decade; about three in five felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, which was twice the rate of teen boys and represents a nearly 60 percent increase over the rate recorded in 2011,” noted the CDC and Gov Hochul’s office.
The survey added that children from marginalized populations are “more likely” to exhibit mental health issues.
Gov. Hochul’s office along with a report released by the Pew Charitable Trust noted that suicide rates in Black children from 10 to 19 years old have “increased 54 percent since 2018,” which is more than all other racial and ethnic groups.
The report also found that Black children were less likely to receive mental health care compared to other groups, the Governor’s Office added.
To learn more visit www.governor.ny.gov/news