Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force

Meet Ithaca’s Mental Health Champions

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Mental health leaders in Tompkins County provided information about community services during The Sophie Fund’s 9th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest on October 19.

Participating organizations included: Be Kind Ithaca; Free Hugs Ithaca; American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Central New York; Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service; Mental Health Association in Tompkins County; National Alliance on Mental Illness Finger Lakes; Advocacy Center of Tompkins County; Ithaca Free Clinic; and Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force.

Ithaca Free Clinic’s Norbert McCloskey briefs Cornell students about his agency’s work

Speaking at the Awards Ceremony, Norbert McCloskey, executive director of the Ithaca Free Clinic, which provides healthcare to individuals regardless of ability to pay, expressed gratitude for the support the agency receives from the community.

“I have had the honor for number of years now to work with an organization that does all that it can to make sure that people can access the healthcare that they need. We’re able to do that because all of our services are provided by community volunteers—everyone from MDs all the way down to the kind lady who comes in once a week and waters our plants,” McCloskey said.

Ithaca Free Clinic

McCloskey noted the connection between healthcare and mental health.

“Nothing really creates anxiety in the life of an individual than being ill and not being able to see a doctor, not being able to get the care that they need. Whether that care is primary family practice care, or acupuncture, or herbalism, or chiropractic, or occupational therapy, or seeing an optometrist to get the  eyewear that they need in order to live a full and productive life.

“You probably wouldn’t be surprised to know that a significant number of people who come to our doors do suffer from a variety of mental health conditions. We are able to help them recognize that, and then steer them toward this vast array of organizations that we have  in our community to get help that they need to live full, productive, happy, and joyful lives.”

Tiffany Bloss, executive director of the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County, said that her agency has been able to expand its services beyond its role as a local call center for the national 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline.

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County

She told the Awards Ceremony audience that SPCS now handles calls from 16 other New York State counties in addition to Tompkins County. She said her agency also launched a 24-hour “warm line” for people who are not in crisis yet need a person to talk to, as well as a 24-hour LGBTQ peer support line.

“It is so incredibly necessary. We need to have everyone talking about mental health all the time,” she said.

Bloss pointed people to SPCS’s newly redesigned website, “an incredible resource for mental health.”

“We really just want to get the word out and get people talking about mental health and suicide. Make it not a scary topic. We need to look at it like we look at our physical health,” she said.

Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force

Mental Health Association in Tompkins County

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention — Greater Central New York

National Alliance on Mental Illness — Finger Lakes

Advocacy Center of Tompkins County

Be Kind Ithaca & Free Hugs Ithaca

In Tompkins, It’s United in Kindness Month!

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The Tompkins County Legislature proclaimed October “United in Kindness Month.” Legislature Chair Dan Klein issued the proclamation after the Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force coordinated a series of 12 events with kindness themes for the month.

For the third year in a row, the Task Force organized the series to mark National Bullying Prevention Month and National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

The Task Force’s aim is to promote kindness, acceptance, inclusion, and support. This year’s series includes a Youth Mental Health & Wellness Town Hall, “Huddle Together for Mental Health” for school sports events, a gallery exhibition featuring young artists, webinars on promoting social-emotional strengths in children and recognizing mental health conditions, risk factors, and warning signs.

“United in Kindness is a wonderful collaboration of professionals and community members who care about the well-being of kids in our community. We’re happy to partner in this effort, as bolstering kids’ mental wellness is central to our mission,” said Libby Demarest, director of Community Engagement at Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca.

VIEW OR DOWNLOAD: United in Kindness Event Series for October 2024

The Tompkins County Legislature’s Proclamation reads as follows:

PROCLAMATION
 
WHEREAS, bullying has been identified as a prevalent and serious problem affecting today’s youth, and
 
WHEREAS, types of youth bullying include physical, verbal, and relational bullying, as well as cyberbullying that involves threatening or harassing electronic communications, and
 
WHEREAS, according to the 2023 Community-Level Youth Development Evaluation (CLYDE) survey, given to Tompkins County students In grades 7 through 12, 27 percent of teens report being bullied at school and 20 percent report being cyberbullied,  and
 
WHEREAS, bullying has psychological, physical, and academic effects and adversely affects youth who are bullied as well as those who engage in bullying, and
 
WHEREAS, more than two dozen government agencies, community organizations, parents, and representatives from the county’s six school districts formed the Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force in March 2019, and
 
WHEREAS, the Task Force’s mission is to facilitate comprehensive cooperation across the community in developing and promoting appropriate bullying prevention and response strategies in Tompkins County, and
 
WHEREAS, every member of the Tompkins County community, government agencies, community organizations, school administrators. teachers, athletic coaches, parents, and students, can play a part in creating a bully-free environment in our schools, athletic fields, public spaces, and online websites, and
 
WHEREAS, the task force organizes a series of “United in Kindness” educational events and activities in October to fight bullying and domestic violence and to promote kindness and empathy throughout our community, now, therefore be it
 
RESOLVED, That the Tompkins County Legislature does hereby proclaim the month of October 2024, as
 
UNITED in KINDNESS MONTH IN TOMPKINS COUNTY
 
IN WITNESS THEREOF, I, Dan Klein, on behalf of the Tompkins County Legislature, have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the great seal of Tompkins County, State of New York, on this 15th day of October 2024.
 
Dan Klein, Chair
Tompkins County Legislature

Youth Bullying Is on the Rise

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After a downtick earlier in the decade, U.S. high school students are reporting an increase in bullying at school, according to the “Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Data Summary & Trends Report 2013-2023” released in August by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Tompkins County schools, 1 in 4 students report being bullied on school property

The report said that 19 percent of survey respondents reported being bullied at school, compared to 15 percent in the 2021 YRBS survey. The figure was slightly lower than the 20 percent who reported being a victim of bullying on school property back in 2013.

Twenty-two percent of female students and 29 percent of those identifying as LGBTQ+, compared to 17 percent of male students, reported being bullied at school.

The percentage of males and females reporting school bullying in 2023 compared to 2021 increased from 13 percent to 17 percent, and 17 percent to 22 percent, respectively. The percentage of LGBTQ+ students reporting school bullying jumped from 23 percent to 29 percent.

The percentage of students reporting cyberbullying has remained very constant over the past 10 years, fluctuating between 15 percent and 16 percent. Female and LGBTQ+ students, 21 percent and 25 percent, respectively, were about twice as likely to be bullied online than male students (12 percent).

The national data show that 23 percent of white teens, 21 percent of multiracial teens, 17 percent of American Indian teens, 16 percent of Hispanic teens, 14 percent of Black teens, and 11 percent of Asian teens, reported being bullied at school.

The survey showed that 20 percent of white teens, 18 percent of multiracial teens, 15 percent of American Indian teens, 14 percent of Hispanic teens, 13 percent of Asian teens, and 11 percent of Black teens experienced cyberbullying.

In Tompkins County, youth bullying appears more prevalent than the national average, according to the Community-Level Youth Development Evaluation (CLYDE) survey of students in grades 7-12 in 2023.

According to the survey, 27.4 percent of the Tompkins students reported being bullied at school and 20 percent reported being cyberbullied.

The 2023 figures represented a jump from the data reported in the previous 2021 CLYDE survey. Students reporting being bullied at school increased from 21.2 percent to 27.4 percent; those reporting cyberbullying dipped slightly from 20.8 percent to 20 percent.

READ: Bullying Prevention Month Activities in Tompkins County

The CLYDE survey numbers may skew higher in part because, unlike the national YRBS, the Tompkins data includes 7th and 8th graders who register bullying experiences anywhere from five to 15 percentage points higher than high schoolers.

Indeed, the highest percentages for Tompkins school bullying and cyberbullying were among middle school students; 34.7 percent and 39 percent of 7th and 8th grade students, respectively, reported being bullied at school. Similarly, 23.8 percent and 25 percent, respectively, reported being cyberbullied.

Those numbers represent a notable increase since the 2021 CLYDE survey, when 29 percent and 24.6 percent of 7th and 8th graders, respectively, reported school bullying; and 23 percent and 22.4 percent reported being cyberbullied.

Broken down by gender and race in the CLYDE survey, being a victim of bullying at school was reported by 36.6 percent of all other gender identities, 36.3 percent of Black girls, 34.8 percent of all American Indian youth, 33.9 percent of all Black youth, 29 percent of all girls, 25.9 percent of all Hispanic youth, 24.8 percent of all males, and 19.3 percent of all Asian youth.

Being a victim of cyberbullying was reported by 28.3 percent of Black girls, 27 percent of all American Indians, 24.6 percent of all Black youth, 24.3 percent of all girls, 19.5 percent of Hispanic youth, 19 percent of all other gender identities, and 16.2 percent of all males, and 16.2 percent of all Asian youth.

The CDC defines youth bullying as “any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated.” The CDC says that bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm.

According to stopbullying.gov, a website operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the relationship between bullying and suicide is complex. The website says that persistent bullying can lead to or worsen feelings of isolation, rejection, exclusion, and despair, as well as depression and anxiety, which can contribute to suicidal behavior. But most young people who die by suicide have multiple risk factors, the website says.

Concerned about bullying? To contact or join the Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task Force, email The Sophie Fund at: thesophiefund2016@gmail.com

“United in Kindness” Is Here!

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A program of 12 events promoting kindness, acceptance, inclusion, and support is on tap for this year’s United in Kindness series in Tompkins County.

The Tompkins County Bullying Prevention Task coordinates the series every October to mark National Bullying Prevention Month and National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

“United in Kindness is a wonderful collaboration of professionals and community members who care about the well-being of kids in our community. We’re happy to partner in this effort, as bolstering kids’ mental wellness is central to our mission,” said Libby Demarest, director of Community Engagement at Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca.

One of the highlights this year is “I Wish You Knew,” where youth ages 5-21 are invited to create and submit artworks about themselves or about bullying in general. The artworks will be featured in an exhibition from October 21 to November 6 at the Mental Health Association in Tompkins County’s Outreach, Education and Training Center in Center Ithaca on the Commons. There will be a Gallery Night Reception on November 1 from 5-8 p.m.

Another highlight is a Youth Mental Health & Wellness Town Hall taking place on October 5 at the Tompkins County Public Library. Hosted by the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition, the event will feature expert presentations on youth mental health and suicide prevention.

Once again, the series includes “Huddle Together for Mental Health,” where home sports games between October 2–12 at area high schools will be branded as mental health games accompanied by mental health presentations from the National Alliance on Mental Illness Finger Lakes.

Dryden Central School District will celebrate Unity Day on October 16 to mark National Bullying Prevention Month. Activities include: wearing orange t-shirts signifying unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion; a Random Acts of Kindness challenge; creating a kindness quilt; and more.

There will be two online events of special interest to parents and school staff on October 10.

The Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention will give a presentation, “Promoting Social-Emotional Strengths in Youth.” Hosted by Family & Children’s Service, the presentation will focus on how social-emotional skills promote accomplishment, satisfying relationships, stress coping, and social and academic development.

NAMI Finger Lakes will give a presentation called “Ending the Silence,” which provides vital information about mental health conditions, including warning signs, facts and statistics, and strategies for talking with children.

For more information about bullying and the Task Force, go to: https://thesophiefund.org/bullying/.

United in Kindness 2024 Full Schedule

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Free Hugs @ Apple Harvest Festival 9/28 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

@Ithaca Commons

Free Hugs Ithaca and Be Kind Ithaca team up to give away free t-shirts and iconic Be Kind hearts—and actual hugs—to lucky Apple Fest attendees.

Huddle Together for Mental Health 10/2 through 10/12

@Area high schools – Schedule at: www.huddletogether.org.

Home sports events are branded Mental Health Awareness Games, accompanied by National Alliance on Mental Illness Finger Lake’s “Ending the Silence” presentations for students, staff, and parents.

Youth Mental Health & Wellness Town Hall 10/5 12:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

@Tompkins County Public Library-Borg Warner Room

Community town hall with expert presentations on youth mental health and suicide prevention. Hosted by the Tompkins County Suicide Prevention Coalition. To register (not mandatory): https://app.dvforms.net/api/dv/6y0pzl

Keen on Kindness Day at The Nook!  10/7 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

@Family Reading Partnership @ Shops at Ithaca Mall

Story time and book giveaway celebrating migrating families at 10:15am or 5:15pm; art projects and fun activities throughout the day.

Promoting Social-Emotional Strengths in Youth 10/10 12 Noon–1 p.m.

Online via Zoom — Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/promoting-social-emotional-strengths-through-assessment-and-intervention-tickets-1026935791597

Presentation on how social-emotional skills promote accomplishment, satisfying relationships, stress coping, and social and academic development. From the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, hosted by Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca.

“Ending the Silence” for Parents 10/10 7:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom — Register: https://go.namifingerlakes.org/event-registration-32024-6231-2235

NAMI Finger Lakes presentation on mental health for parents, faculty, and staff, and open to all community members. 

“I Wish You Knew” 10/11 through 11/6

@Mental Health Association Outreach, Education and Training Center @ Center Ithaca on the Commons.  

Tompkins County youth ages 5-21 are invited to create and submit artworks by 10/11 deadline. Artworks will be featured in an exhibition from 10/21–11/6. Gallery Night Reception 11/1 5-8pm. Submission Info and Registration: https://www.mhaedu.org/youth-art-show-2024

Stories of Kindness and Resilience 10/13 1 p.m.­­–2 p.m.

@Buffalo Street Books 215 N. Cayuga Street

Storytime for children accompanied by a caregiver and all who love children’s books hosted by the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County.

Unity Day for Bullying Prevention Month 10/16 All Day

@Dryden Central School District schools

Activities include: wearing orange t-shirts signifying unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion; a Random Acts of Kindness challenge; creating a kindness quilt; and more.

#PurpleThursday 10/17 All Day

Throughout the community

The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County encourages everyone to wear purple on the national day of support for families impacted by domestic violence letting survivors know they are not alone. Email info@actompkins.org to receive a purple ribbon observing National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

9th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest 10/19 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

@Bernie Milton Pavilion in Ithaca Commons

Fun event including live music and information tables to raise awareness about mental health organized by The Sophie Fund. Submissions from 10a.m.–12 Noon; Info: https://thesophiefund.org/cupcake-contest/

Groomed—A Play 11/1 7 p.m.–9 p.m.

@Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) 301 W. Court Street in Ithaca—free admission

UK playwright Patrick Sandford performs his autobiographical award-winning play about childhood sexual abuse. Brilliantly performed, heartbreaking, hopeful, truth-telling that invites us all to talk. (Not graphic, PG-13.) Audience Q&A follows. Sponsored by GIAC and the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County.

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Self-Portraits of Youth (Part 3)

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Twenty-nine young artists explored inner feelings of identity in an art exhibition organized in October by the Mental Health Association in Tompkins County. “How I See Myself” was made possible in part by a grant from The Sophie Fund, which is honored to share the exhibition here. Thanks and bravo to the artists.

Hannah A., age 16, Ithaca High School

Cálida

Oil Pastels

“My goal was to create a colorful expressive self-portrait. I enjoyed experimenting with bright loud colors using oil pastels.”

Sabena S., age 16, Ithaca High School

Untitled

Colored pencil on paper

Lyla C., age 10, Newfield Central School District

Blank Space

Colored pencil, Sharpie, graphite

“My art Blank Space is about me. When I was making this piece I didn’t really think I just drew it. My mom helped me out a little bit. While i was making this piece I felt happy so I drew my character smiling. My mom and brother cheered me on. That made me feel proud.”

Aaliyah M., age 16, Ithaca High School

Thoughts

Pencil, Blue colored pencil, Sharpie

“In this I drew a girl hiding around the corner from her own thoughts. I tried to draw a reality of hiding/distracting yourself from negative thoughts.”

Laura W., age 15, Ithaca High School

What If

Pencil

“As a queer artist, I have faced a lot of discrimination. All throughout elementary school and middle school, I was bullied for being “over weight” or “weird” or in middle school, “not normal” or just overall homophobia, or even critiques of my singing and acting. Being bullied really effected my body image, my perception of myself, and my mental well-being. In 8th grade my mental health started to decline, hearing many of the sayings incorporated into my art. My question is, what if I listened to them, what if I continued to believe it, what would’ve happened to me. My concept with my art is to hopefully have somebody see it, to know that they aren’t alone, and that there are people there for them and other options for them.”

Jennifer C., age 15, Ithaca High School

Past Paranoid

Colored pencils, pen

“I created this art for when I experienced getting bullied for three years in Enfield Elementary. My feelings about my art piece are happy since I am finally able to draw what I dealt with in my past. I was trying to express the post-affects of after someone is bullied in the past, since it inspired me to draw for the anti-bullying theme.”

Chloe V., age 15, Ithaca High School

Lost in the Line

Colored pencil and graphite

“I made the red spiral stand out to represent displacement/ detachment from everyone else or oneself. The spiral wasn’t originally going to be red, but I felt like it needed that pop to make the drawing feel complete.”

Charlotte T., age 15, Ithaca High School

The Side You Never See

Acrylic Paint, Marker

“This piece reflects all the emotions, ideas, thoughts, and feelings that go in within a person that are sometimes kept inside and never expressed. I really liked making this piece because I was trying out a new style and I love making portraits overall. I also enjoy the freedom of being able to express a thought in a way other than speaking or writing. I think this piece can show a series of many issues not only those related to emotions or mental health and can be interpreted in more ways than one.”

Julia S., age 10, Newfield Elementary

Sunny Day

Colored pencil, sharpie, highlighter

“It’s about me, and a happy me. It’s happy and positive with a smiley-face sun. It’s about me because it shows me having a happy look. It’s important to be happy and have other emotions too. They are difficult but this is happy.”

Kevin D., age 15, Ithaca High School

About Me Poem

Marker and acrylic

“I believe my art piece represents a new day. A new mentality that helped me get through my struggles with mental health. I hope this piece inspires people and gives a new light about mentality and attitude going into life.”