BILL NUMBER: S5860A

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to require the office of mental health to
develop educational materials for educators regarding suicide prevention

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of the bill is to provide information from the Office of
Mental Health (OMH) on depression and suicide prevention for any New
York State university, community college or city university.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would require the commissioner of the Office of
Mental Health (OMH) to consult with the commissioner of the Department
of Education on the distribution of educational materials, in electronic
or other format, to be used by educators on suicide prevention measures,
and signs of depression from students attending any New York State
university, community college, or city university.

              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Suicide can have a tremendous impact on colleges and universities, lead-
ing to profound grief among peers, faculty, and staff. Campuses must be
prepared to address these consequences. There not only is need for a
prevention and intervention program in place, but there must be a post-
vention plan in partnership with a behavioral health provider in the
community. A postvention is an intervention conducted after a suicide,
largely taking the form of support for bereaved family, friends, profes-
sionals and peers. Family and friends of the suicide victim may be at
increased risk of suicide themselves.

With the rise of opioid use and addiction, most commonly found in
college age individuals, according to the New England Journal of Medi-
cine Many opioid overdose deaths may actually be suicides. A person with
opioid abuse issues who is suicidal needs different treatment than one
who is not suicidal

Data from the National Vital Statistics System, Mortality shows that
from 1999 through 2014, the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United
States increased 24%, from 10.5 to 13.0 per 100,000 populations, with
the pace of increase greater after 2006. Suicide rates increased from
1999 through 2014 for both males and females and for all ages 10-74.
The percent increase in suicide rates for females was greatest for those
aged 10-14, and for males, those aged 45-64.

The most frequent suicide method in 2014 for males involved the use of
firearms (55.4%), while poisoning was the most frequent method for
females (34.1%). Percentages of suicides attributable to suffocation
increased for both sexes between 1999 and 2014.

Suicide is an important public health issue involving psychological,
biological, and societal factors. After a period of nearly consistent
decline in suicide rates in the United States from 1986 through 1999,
suicide rates have increased almost steadily from 1999 through 2014.
While suicide among adolescents and young adults is increasing and among
the leading causes of death for those demographic groups, suicide among
middle-aged adults is also rising.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately