youth mental health

Supporting Mental Health in Tompkins Schools

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Five Ithaca-based mental health organizations have released the 2026-27 edition of their resource guide, “Mental Health Support & Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County.”

National and local surveys document the seriousness of a mental health crisis affecting young people. In a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of high schoolers said they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Twenty-nine percent reported poor mental health, and 20 percent said they had considered taking their own lives.

A survey of high school and middle school students in Tompkins County showed similar patterns although lower than the national data. Forty-four percent said they felt anxious or worried on most days, 32 percent felt sad or depressed on most days, 28 percent said that “sometimes I think life is not worth it,” and 11 percent reported thoughts of suicide.

DOWNLOAD: Mental Health Support & Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County

To support Tompkins County schools, the resources guide was first launched in 2024 by the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Central New York, National Alliance on Mental Illness Finger Lakes, Mental Health Association in Tompkins County, and The Sophie Fund.

“Statistically, mental health education in schools is one of the most important initiatives, based on suicide rates and other youth mental health statistics,” said Sandra Sorensen, executive director of NAMI Finger Lakes. “Creating, finding, and presenting curriculum can add an extra burden to educators.”

“This booklet outlines the free programs and services available to students, parents, and teachers offered by local mental health nonprofit organizations. Participants also benefit from learning about external, local resources and community connections. This creates a broader, more diverse, supportive network,” Sorensen added. 

If you have a comment, concern, or suggestion about mental health in Tompkins schools, please feel free to email it to The Sophie Fund: thesophiefund2016@gmail.com.

After a brief “Mental Health & Suicide 101” introduction, the guide details the mental health and suicide prevention education and training that the organizations are ready to present to Tompkins school administrators, teachers, students, and parents.

The guide compiles handbooks and toolkits to assist Tompkins schools in developing mental health promotion and bullying prevention programming as well as suicide prevention strategies in their school communities. The guide points to recommendations for youth use of social media issued by the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association.

DOWNLOAD: 5 Simple Steps

The guide also includes 5 Simple Steps, a downloadable “safety plan” young people (or adults) can consult if they are feeling overwhelmed with a deteriorating mood.

The five organizations requested an opportunity to meet directly with the seven Tompkins County school superintendents and their leadership teams to provide a presentation on the support services available and respond to any concerns or questions they may have. The organizations have met with the Ithaca, Trumansburg, and Lansing districts, but Groton, Dryden, and Newfield have not yet scheduled a meeting.

Administrators, teachers, families: REQUEST A FREE TRAINING for assemblies, classes, or parent meetings

When You Reeaally Don’t Feel Like Cooking

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Mental health challenges can sometimes make performing daily activities incredibly difficult for college students. Cooking and eating a meal can feel like an impossible task if you are having trouble getting out of bed.

While studying for my Masters in Public Health at Cornell University, I wanted to create something that would bridge mental health and physical health. I chose to create a cookbook that combines easy-to-make, healthy recipes with mental health tips and encouragement. The result is Recipes to Make When You Reeaally Don’t Feel Like Cooking, which I produced for The Sophie Fund.

DOWNLOAD Recipes to Make When You Reeaally Don’t Feel Like Cooking

Filled with nutritious, heart-warming recipes submitted by fellow Cornell students, the cookbook is designed to support students in preparing and eating healthy meals during periods of depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. (Of course, the recipes are good for all students regardless of the current state of their mental health!)

Recipes to Make was made possible with the help of all the Cornell students who kindly shared their recipes and the incredible support from mentors who guided me along the way. I’m deeply grateful for everyone’s willingness to participate in this project, whether it be through a recipe submission or a piece of advice.

I would love to see my Cornell peers engage with the cookbook by trying out the recipes, sharing their own favorite recipes with friends, or even submitting a recipe themselves for future editions! I hope that when Cornell students use this cookbook, they remember that they are not alone in their experience and that they think of each recipe as a sign of support from a fellow student. 

—By Emily Lui

Emily Lui is a 2026 graduate of Cornell Public Health’s Master of Public Health program.

Tompkins Parents: Free Help for Kids Mental Health Struggles

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When a child is struggling, the people who love them most may not realize how much they are hurting or know what to say. Join youth suicide prevention expert Jonathan B. Singer, PhD, LCSW, for practical guidance on recognizing the signs, starting difficult conversations, and helping a child feel heard and supported.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

8:00–9:30 p.m. ET

Live on Zoom

For tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/keeping-kids-safe-tickets-1993347617383?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

For FREE admission, use Promo Code: Sophiefund18

In this presentation, attendees will learn how to:

*See the common risk factors and warning signs, even when a child appears to be doing well.

*Say the right words to ask directly about suicide with calm and confidence.

*Support a struggling child in a way that helps them feel heard, believed, and less alone.

This event is intended for parents and caregivers of children in grades K–12, as well as educators and school professionals who support young people.

[The Sophie Fund expresses its gratitude to The Wellness Institute, a division of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, for providing free access to this presentation for the Tompkins County community.]

Donate to The Sophie Fund: Our 2026 Appeal

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Every year, to mark Sophie’s birthday on August 23 we launch our annual fundraising appeal. Please consider making a donation today to support The Sophie Fund’s work aiding the mental health of young people in the Ithaca and Tompkins County communities. 100% of donations go directly toward the grants we provide to mental health providers and community organizations for training and programming; and to our modest operating costs.

Thank you for being part of our collective mental health mission!

To Make a Donation:

Click Here for The Sophie Fund Donation Page

Current goals in need of funding include:

—Training in mental health and suicide prevention for Ithaca-area clinicians, social workers, and community members. This includes The Wellness Institute’s annual suicide prevention conference next March; discrete training modules for evidence-based treatment protocols such as Safety Planning and Lethal Means Counseling; and a forum to engage our local primary care practices in suicide prevention. We have now trained more than 250 clinicians in Tompkins County, including the entire counseling center staffs of Cornell University and Ithaca College.

—Production, printing, and distribution costs for mental health guides designed for the local Tompkins County community, including: Mental Health Support and Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County; A Parent’s Guide to College Student Mental Health; A Student’s Guide to College Mental Health (in production); Bullying Prevention Resources for Schools and Families; Be Safe at College; Mental Health and Crisis Services Tompkins County.

A few highlights of The Sophie Fund’s activities over the past 12 months:

—In March, The Sophie Fund financially sponsored the participation of 56 Tompkins County healthcare professionals in a two-day online suicide prevention training featuring some of the nation’s leading experts.

—The Sophie Fund partnered with the Ithaca Beer Co. during Mental Health Awareness Month in May to highlight the mental health information and treatment resources that are available in Tompkins County.

—In our annual “Cupcake Button” fundraising campaign, we collaborated with five Cornell University student organizations to collect $1,119.00 for the Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) organization.

—The Sophie Fund co-sponsored the 4th annual Better Together for Mental Health festival in May in Stewart Park. We provided a grant to the Family Reading Partnership to provide free copies of Between You and Me, a children’s picture book celebrating friendship.

—Four students in the Master of Public Health program at Cornell University produced public health communications projects for The Sophie Fund: A Student’s Guide to College Mental Health; Recipes to Make When You Reeaally Don’t Feel Like Cooking; and two social media campaigns, “Winter Wellness Tips” and an English-Chinese posts directing international students to mental health resources.

—As a member of the New York State Suicide Prevention Council we contributed to the development of the New York State Suicide Prevention Plan (to be released in September); and to oversight of a $3.5 million federal SAMHSA grant to advance the Zero Suicide Model in 40 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) throughout New York State.

—The Sophie Fund received the 2025 Friend of Children Award from the New York Association of School Psychologists at NYASP’s annual conference in November.

—The Sophie Fund hosted the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest, alongside our mental health fair, in the Ithaca Commons in October. We celebrated a decade of Ithaca cupcakes with a photo exhibition depicting highlights of the contest through the years.

For more information on The Sophie Fund’s work, please visit:

http://www.thesophiefund.org

Thank You!

Here’s to Mental Health Awareness Month!

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, promoting a cause that is dear to Ithaca Beer Co. and The Sophie Fund. The two organizations are partnering this year to highlight the many mental health information and treatment resources that are available in Tompkins County.

Zach McGovern and Valerie Consiglio-Nickerson, Taproom managers at Ithaca Beer

Throughout the month, Ithaca Beer will provide its customers with a resource card listing local providers for psychotherapy and psychiatry, addiction counseling, support groups, peer counseling, and sexual violence support.

The card’s flip side contains 5 Simple Steps, a brief safety plan that can help prevent an immediate mental health challenge from escalating. With the card’s QR code, users can download the resources to their smart phones.

“Mental health is a fundamental aspect of overall health, and is too often ignored, under supported, and stigmatized,” said Jess Mitchell, Ithaca Beer Co. director of operations. “We welcome hundreds of visitors monthly, giving us the platform to reach our community widely. We are committed to doing our part to connect people with the resources they need.”

In addition to the resource cards, Ithaca Beer will be hosting informational mental health presentations by the Finger Lakes chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County.

Ithaca Beer and The Sophie Fund are also running a mental health awareness campaign on social media, pointing to local resources, breaking the stigma around mental health, and encouraging anyone who is struggling to reach out for help.

The organizations, along with Better Together for Mental Health, will host a special Mental Health Awareness Month gathering for local mental health workers honoring their dedication and impact. The event will take place at Ithaca Beer on May 28.

Scott MacLeod, co-founder of The Sophie Fund, expressed gratitude for Ithaca Beer’s effort to promote mental health in the community.

“Stigma remains an obstacle that prevents many people who are struggling from acknowledging they need help or actually reaching out to loved ones or professionals for support,” he said.

“When a high-profile company like Ithaca Beer steps up to actively help normalize talking about mental health, it makes all the difference. Nobody should suffer in silence when help is available.”

DOWNLOAD Mental Health Support and Crisis Services 2026

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