To mark National Suicide Prevention Month in September, The Sophie Fund is publishing a booklet highlighting the considerable efforts taken to save lives in Tompkins County over the past decade.
Healthcare leaders speaking at a suicide prevention town hall, 2023
Leaders from healthcare, behavioral health, government agencies, and concerned nonprofits have come together to upgrade suicide prevention practices, train practitioners, and educate the public about suicide risk factors and warning signs. It is a sustained, community-wide mission.
The booklet will be distributed at “Rooted in Action: Innovative Approaches for Rural Suicide Prevention,” the annual New York State Suicide Prevention Conference being held this year in Ithaca on September 29-30.
If you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.
Among the steps taken in Tompkins County:
—In the 2017 Watershed Declaration, healthcare leaders pledged to “intensify efforts toward saving lives and bringing hope to those struggling with suicide thoughts or affected by suicide loss.”
—Stakeholders formed the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition in 2018, adopting a strategic plan guided by a vision “for a community where no lives are lost to suicide” and using data, science, and collaborations to implement effective strategies.
Formation of the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition, 2017
—The Coalition hosted two community town halls, “How Healthcare Helps Prevent Suicides,” and “Youth Mental Health & Wellness.”
—The Coalition launched the “Tompkins County Suicide Care Pathway Initiative” in 2025, bringing together hospitals, campus health centers, behavioral health clinics, and crisis responders to map and improve support and continuity of care across health sectors.
—Community nonprofits created the annual “Mental Health Support and Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County,” a booklet of information and resources, and distributed more than 200 copies to school personnel.
—The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Central New York chapter organized annual “Out of the Darkness” walks in the community and on the campus of Cornell University.
“Out of the Darkness” Walk at Cornell University, 2024
—AFSP, NAMI Finger Lakes, Mental Health Association, Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service, and The Sophie Fund provided a robust array of suicide and mental health care trainings and support services including help hotlines.
—The Coalition launched an initiative to promote the Zero Suicide Model in the community’s healthcare systems; and top healthcare leaders formed the Tompkins County Zero Suicide Steering Committee in to implement the model within and across healthcare systems.
Launch of the Tompkins County Zero Suicide Steering Committee, 2022
—Cayuga Health and Tompkins County Whole Health embarked on Zero Suicide implementation plans.
—The Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service expanded its 988 call center staff from five to 42, expanded its coverage area to a total of 17 counties, and added call lines for LGBTQ+ and non-crisis emotional support.
DOWNLOAD Tompkins County Suicide Prevention
Scott MacLeod, co-founder of The Sophie Fund, said that his organization was grateful for Tompkins County’s advances in suicide prevention, but added that there was no room for complacency.
“People of all ages, including students on local college campuses, are dying by suicide in Tompkins County,” he said. “Nationwide, suicide remains the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-24.” He noted that the Coalition’s Suicide Care Pathway Initiative in 2025 showed numerous gaps in local suicide care, a need for more training in suicide prevention treatment protocols, and greater fidelity in the use of those protocols.
“We need continuous efforts to educate ourselves about risk factors and warning signs, to encourage people who are struggling to seek help, and to see suicide prevention best practices implemented by all providers. National Suicide Prevention Month is a call to action to step up the mission,” he added.
The Sophie Fund is a nonprofit organization advocating for improved mental health in Tompkins County. It was formed in 2016 in memory of Sophie Hack MacLeod, a Cornell University student who died by suicide that year.
If you or someone you know feels the need to speak with a mental health professional, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.
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