New York State is creating a suicide prevention task force to study ways to reduce the number of New Yorkers who take their own lives.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the creation of the panel earlier this year. On Thursday, Cuomo cited the recent rise in the number of suicides across the country and says New York will make prevention a "top priority.''
"The rise in the number of suicides nationwide is unacceptable," Cuomo said. "The Suicide Prevention Task Force will focus on high-risk communities and groups to build on our efforts to address this challenge and help build a stronger, healthier New York for all."
The task force will include state mental health officials, academic researchers and representatives of non-profit community groups.
The group will examine factors that can lead people to consider suicide, with a special focus on bullying and cyberbullying. It also plans to look at the best ways to help at-risk groups such as veterans, people in the LGBTQ community and individuals struggling with mental illness or addiction.
