Suicide is as common as it is difficult to discuss.

In 2023, according to the National Library of Medicine, someone in the U.S. died by suicide every 11 minutes.

Suicide in rural communities is disproportionately higher than in urban areas for a variety of reasons. American Indian and Alaska Native populations face suicide rates nearly double the national average. More men die by suicide than women, and suicide is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. among people ages 10 to 34.

For all these reasons, Western New York Republican state Sen. Pam Helming sponsored bipartisan legislation to establish a rural suicide prevention council. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers of the legislature this session and awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.

The bill would establish a volunteer council to identify barriers to mental health and substance use treatment and prevention services and other policies.

Helming discussed the bill with Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter.