Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison will join Rise Life Services CEO Charles Evdos for the opening of Long Island's first youth suicide-prevention center. With the rise of social media use among youths, with TikTok suicide videos and cyberbullying increasing across the nation, the center will serve to prevent deaths among young people. A grant of a million dollars from the New York State Department of Mental Health was given to Rise Life Services to start this program.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the United States. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local community leaders and elected officials attending.