National Alliance on Mental Illness

Supporting Mental Health in Tompkins Schools

September 21, 2026thesophiefund

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Walk (or Run) the NAMIWalk on May 3!

April 27, 2026April 27, 2026thesophiefund

If it’s May, that means it’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to celebrate and honor the providers, caregivers, educators, advocates, and other dedicated souls who aid mental health and wellness in our community.

More than 250 mental health champions including 50 teams and countless individuals will participate in the annual NAMIWalk fundraiser for the Finger Lakes chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It takes place at the Large Pavilion in Ithaca’s Stewart Park on May 3 from 1-4 p.m. This year’s goal is to raise $50,000.

2024 NAMIWalk in Stewart Park

Click here to be a sponsor, become a fundraiser, donate to a team, or sign up to join the NAMIWalk

The event is an occasion for those affected by mental health to share community and draw strength from solidarity. Despite the serious subject matter, the annual NAMIWalk is a joyful event.

The event includes a 1-mile walk, a 5K “fun run,” games in the Kids Zone, massages by Attuned Life, snacks, and music by DJ Anthony. NAMI and other local mental health organizations staff information tables sharing resources available in the local community.

This year’s walk includes a raffle of locally donated items, which include: massages, gift certificates for local restaurants, wine, gift baskets, Science Center tickets, Strong Museum passes, New York Mets tickets, and sporting paraphernalia from local teams.

“The most meaningful part of bringing people together for a common cause is the sharing of stories. Being vulnerable and open connects people who are experiencing similar hardships, making us feel less alone,” said Sandra Sorensen, NAMI Finger Lakes executive director.

Sorensen, who lost her husband Michael to suicide, said that while raising funds is crucial for NAMI programs, NAMIWalk’s real success is making a huge statement about fighting the stigma that prevents many from seeking help.

“The cause is really near and dear to my heart, as I have a lot of lived experience caregiving for people who have mental health issues. My Michael did not feel safe in talking about or receiving the help he needed for his bipolar disorder because he feared stigma, shame, and professional ramifications,” she said.

The NAMIWalk funds programs such as peer-led support groups for family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness. NAMI operates a HelpLine where experienced volunteers answer calls for support and mental health resources. The number is (607 252-6264).

“NAMIWalks is one of our most important events of the year, helping us raise both awareness and critical funding to keep all of our education and support programs free to the community,” said NAMI Finger Lakes Program Manager Jason Hungerford.

He said that donations have enabled the organization to expand its programming and make a major impact over the past year. For example, he said, NAMI has offered additional Family-to-Family mental health education classes, a Sharing Hope conversation series for people who identify as Black or of African ancestry, and training of 60 additional first responders in NAMI’s Overwatch Peer Support.

Hungerford said that NAMI Finger Lakes aided some 290 individuals through three unique support groups that meet twice a month. The organization has also reached more than 1,300 students and community members through mental health education and awareness presentations like Ending the Silence.

Sponsors of the 2026 NAMIWalk include Segal & Sorensen, Cayuga Health, Tompkins Community Bank, Wegmans, Cornell University, Guthrie, Cayuga Landscape, Excellus, del Lago Resort & Casino, Beginnings Credit Union, Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival, Howard Hanna, and Copper House Coffee.

NAMI Finger Lakes is one of some 600 local affiliates of the national organization, a grassroots mental health organization founded in 1979 dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI says its mission is to educate, support, advocate, listen and lead to improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones.

Helping Families Cope with Mental Illness

July 9, 2025thesophiefund

Are you dealing with a mental health challenge in your family? An extremely valuable and life changing in-person summer course in Ithaca is now open for registration with the Finger Lakes chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

NAMI’s eight-session Family-to-Family program will run on Wednesday evenings from 5:30–8:00 p.m. from July 23 through September 10.

Click here to REGISTER for the free course.

The course is for family members, partners or friends with a relative or loved one with a mental health condition, even if the condition is not diagnosed. It is taught by trained family members of people with a mental health condition.

The course offers insights into the impact mental health conditions have on the entire family, combats discrimination, and promotes healing.

It is designed to help family members and friends understand and support their loved one while maintaining their own well-being.

Participants improve their self-care and communication skills, learn problem-solving techniques, and how to better advocate for their family member.

Among the skills participants learn:

How to solve problems and communicate effectively

Taking care of yourself and managing your stress

Supporting your loved one with compassion

Finding and using local supports and services

Up-to-date information on mental health conditions and how they affect the brain

How to handle a crisis

Current treatments and therapies

The impact of mental health conditions on the entire family

Multiple research studies have shown that participants in the NAMI Family-to-Family course:

Demonstrate significantly greater overall empowerment as well as empowerment within their family, the service system and their community

Possess greater knowledge of mental illness

Maintain higher rating of coping skills

Experience lower ratings of anxiety related to being able to control conditions

Have higher reported levels of problem-solving skills related to family functioning.

For more information, email: support@namifingerlakes.org.

Click here to REGISTER

On May 3, Let’s Walk with NAMI!

April 14, 2025April 14, 2025thesophiefund

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an opportunity to celebrate and support the providers, caregivers, educators, advocates, and other dedicated souls who aid mental health and wellness in our community.

Ithaca Walking for NAMI in 2024

That’s why 200 or so mental health champions will participate in a fundraising walk for the Finger Lakes chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at Ithaca’s Stewart Park on May 3 from 3-6 p.m.

Click here to be a sponsor, become a fundraiser, donate to a team, or sign up to join the NAMI Walk. This year’s goal is to raise $50,000.

The NAMI Walk funds programs such as peer-led support groups for family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness.

NAMI Finger Lakes also offers an array of peer-led programs that provide free education, skills training, and support. It operates a HelpLine where experienced volunteers answer calls for support and mental health resources. The number is (607) 273-2462.

Just as important, the event is an occasion for those affected by mental illness to share community and draw strength from solidarity.

“Engaging with NAMI, talking to my friends about mental health, and being part of a greater community of trusting, stigma-breaking people has made me feel ‘not alone,’” said Sandra Sorensen, the chapter’s executive director.

“My team walks in memory of my late husband Michael, who died by suicide in May of 2021. Michael was afraid of stigma and lived a life hiding from his mental health issues,” she said.

In-person Walk registration begins at 3 p.m., and the event provides a 1-mile walking route and a fun 5K route for runners.

Despite the serious subject matter, the annual NAMI Walk is a joyful event that includes lawn games and face painting for kids of all ages. NAMI Finger Lakes is joined by local mental health partners who set up information tables about mental health resources available in the community.

“I have been profoundly moved by the support NAMI Finger Lakes has been able to give to so many people,” said Meggin Rose, a chapter board member.

“I have talked with many, many people who have told me that they no longer feel alone, that they now have hope and are acquiring the tools they need to navigate their own, or their loved one’s mental health challenges.”

One of this year’s walkers is Hayden Plattus, a NAMI volunteer through a course at Cornell University. “Having seen first-hand the challenges of providing mental health support, I became determined to raise funds for NAMI and spread its resources to more families,” she said.

Sponsors of the 2025 NAMI walk include Segal & Sorensen, Cayuga Health, Tompkins Community Bank, Wegmans, Cornell University, CFCU Community Credit Union, Guthrie, and Cayuga Landscape.

NAMI Finger Lakes is one of some 600 local affiliates of NAMI, a national mental health organization founded in 1979 dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI says its mission is to educate, support, advocate, listen and lead to improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones.

Meet Ithaca’s Mental Health Champions

November 1, 2024October 25, 2025thesophiefund

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.