As mental health has become an increasing concern in all walks of American society, the transportation sector is recognizing its obligation to pay more attention to suicide prevention. This has certainly been true for the bridge operators of the IBTTA community. This past September, the New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA) partnered with the New York State Office of Mental Health in hosting a first-of-its-kind “Transportation for Life Summit” to coincide with a national spotlight on suicide prevention. The New York State Bridge Authority’s interagency summit focused on building a groundbreaking agenda to take a coordinated and comprehensive approach to mental health awareness and suicide prevention in public spaces.
The issue of suicides in public spaces represents a formidable challenge for transportation agencies, and the first responders who work with them as partners. These types of incidents statistically account for only a small portion of all suicides in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, less than 3% of suicides are related to falls, which include falling from buildings, structures, and other heights. Nonetheless, the visibility and media coverage surrounding bridge suicides amplify these tragic events in the hearts and minds of the public. Bridge suicides have a detrimental effect on the local communities being served, but they also offer the opportunity for transportation agencies and first responders to connect with individuals in distress and provide a connection to vital resources for their well-being.
More than 170 attendees from a variety of fields participated in the NYSBA summit. While most participants came from more than 20 different New York State agencies, the reach of the event was regional, including attendees from New Jersey and as far away as Rhode Island. Multiple IBTTA members were included in the mix of attendees and presenters. The summit brought together experienced individuals from a variety of disciplines, all offering unique perspectives, information exchange, and learning opportunities.
NYSBA has a long history of focusing on and taking suicide prevention action at its facilities. In 1984, NYSBA’s Mid-Hudson Bridge became the first span in the country to install helpline phones. These pioneering phones are now preserved in the archives of the New York State Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Since then, the phone system expanded to all five NYSBA vehicular crossings. The Authority has also increased staff training and security monitoring operations to ensure the effectiveness of its response capabilities. By spearheading the “Transportation for Life Summit,” New York State‘s public agencies demonstrated another commitment to enhance safety and responsiveness to the mental health crisis and its relationship with transportation facilities and operations.
One of the keynote presentations featured a suicide prevention advocate recounting his own crisis on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, along with the responding police officer who connected with him that night and NYSBA’s Director of Command Center, Safety and Security, whose team initiates responses to such crises. The discussion allowed for a focused review of a response to a suicide attempt from all perspectives, providing unparalleled lessons for transportation operators and first responders as well as effective means of diffusing a potential suicide from the distressed individual’s point of view. Connecting to those in crisis is a crucial aspect in response to these events, a role which transportation agencies often must take on when presented with a potential suicide.
Other elements of the program addressed deliberate design standards and criteria that aid in suicide prevention on new bridges, as well as strategies for retrofitting existing structures and addressing the financial and political hurdles to such solutions. A mental health research expert provided specific insights into suicides on bridges and transportation facilities, including the interventions available to prevent such events. Other aspects of crisis intervention addressed support programs for frontline workers, employee awareness communications and initiatives, and suicide prevention training from the New York State Office of Mental Health.
There are no simple answers or solutions to these incidents, but people and agencies who care can make a difference. More events like this summit can spread awareness, develop strategies, build momentum for action, and save more lives in the communities we serve.