Staten Island Launches $3.7M Initiative to Combat Youth Suicide

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In response to alarming trends in adolescent mental health, the Staten Island borough president’s office has initiated a new program aimed at preventing youth suicide. With funding of $3.7 million from federal sources, this initiative, called the Multi-tier Integrated Supports for Suicide Prevention, Implementation and Outcomes in New York, or “MISSION,” seeks to address the root causes of mental health challenges among young people.

Dr. Ginny Mantello, director of health and wellness for the borough president’s office, emphasized the initiative’s objective to identify at-risk youth before they reach a crisis point. According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nearly 39.7% of students reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, with 20.4% seriously considering suicide. These figures highlight a growing crisis in New York City’s youth population, particularly alarming as rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts have increased significantly over the past decade.

The Scope of the Crisis

The New York City Department of Health reported that, as of 2023, 14% of high school students in the city had attempted suicide, up from 8% in 2013. Middle school students also showed a troubling rise, with 10% having attempted suicide in 2022, compared to 7% in 2018. Staten Island in particular has seen a significant rise in hospitalizations due to self-harm, ranking second among the boroughs in New York City.

Recognizing these urgent statistics, Mantello noted that the initiative targets a comprehensive response, engaging not just schools but also community organizations, churches, and mental health providers. The goal is to create a robust support system for young people struggling with mental health issues.

A Comprehensive Response

Since the launch of the MISSION initiative in 2025, hundreds of educators, counselors, and community members have received training in mental health and suicide prevention. Mantello stated, “We wanted to work with providers and clergy and parents and grandparents, literally bringing in the resources across the board.” The involvement of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has been crucial in shaping the program, which aims to provide a model for other communities facing similar challenges.

The initiative employs a tiered approach to care. Tier 1 focuses on broad education for all community members, while Tier 2 targets individuals at risk for more specialized support. Tier 3 is dedicated to those in crisis, ensuring they receive immediate and personalized care. Mantello highlighted that this structure is essential for efficiently distributing resources and information throughout the community.

In schools, any child identified as being at risk will have a seamless pathway to professional care. “We want to make sure there’s the ability for schools to hand them seamlessly to a provider,” she explained. This effort aims to eliminate gaps in care, ensuring that students receive timely and appropriate assistance.

One significant advancement is the creation of a direct connection to the Jewish Board Mobile Crisis Team, which allows for immediate crisis response, typically within an hour. Mantello referred to this connection as a “game changer,” emphasizing that it has improved the community’s ability to respond to mental health emergencies.

In addition, a new web-based referral platform is in the final stages of federal HIPAA clearance, which will enable schools to make direct, trackable referrals to mental health providers. This initiative aims to reduce the number of emergency room visits for mental health crises by ensuring that families can access care within 24 to 48 hours.

As Staten Island continues to implement these measures, the hope is that they will lead to a measurable decrease in incidents of youth suicide. Mantello acknowledged that while immediate results may not be visible, the groundwork is being laid for long-term positive change. “The results will not happen the minute you start this work. It’ll take years to start seeing actual results,” she stated.

The commitment to enhancing mental health resources and support systems for youth has garnered positive responses from various stakeholders, including educators and health professionals. A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Education affirmed their commitment to supporting students’ mental health, highlighting the importance of collaboration with the borough president’s office in strengthening these efforts.

In closing, Mantello emphasized the need for a united community response to the mental health crisis affecting adolescents. “In order for the schools to be able to identify students at risk, everybody in the school building has to be educated,” she said. This initiative stands as a beacon of hope, aiming to foster a healthier and safer environment for the young people of Staten Island.

For anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, immediate support is available through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or by contacting the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.