Corning resident and Democratic Steuben County legislator Joe Tobia and his wife Elisa continued their push for statewide action on the issue of rural suicide at a press conference in Corning on Sept. 22.
A bill that would establish a rural suicide prevention council in New York passed the state legislature in June; however, it has yet to be signed into law.
Tobia represents Steuben County Legislative District 2. The Tobias were joined by Republican Tom O’Mara of Senate District 58, Republican Phil Palmesano of Assembly District 132 and Republican Joe Sempolinski of Assembly District 148.
The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
“We talk a lot in our modern discourse about how polarized things are and how people can't work together and all these things,” said Sempolinski during the press conference. “This particular piece of legislation is the opposite of that. It's how legislation is supposed to work. It's people from around the state of different partisan affiliations working together.”
The Tobias’ son Matthew, who died in 2021, has been the impetus for them to push for better access to mental health services in rural New York.
“Our son Matthew died by suicide. He will forever be 30,” expressed Tobia. “His last few years of life were not good, and he suffered much. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his late 20s and was in great need of care, especially during his last year of life. And he rarely received the treatment and care that would have taken away some of the pain and suffering.”
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. It is the second leading cause of death in New Yorkers 15 to 34 years old and fourth in those 35 to 54, according to the New York State Department of Health.
The Tobias have championed legislation for rural suicide prevention since 2023.
There are several duties of the council outlined in the bill that include identifying barriers to mental health services, assessing the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, and identifying vulnerable populations in rural areas, such as farmers and agricultural workers.
"It's such a low cost. It really is,” said Tobia. “I mean, how much you're going to pay for 12, 15 people to get together three times a year, collect data, which they can do on the internet, and make some phone calls and get some paperwork out. I don't think that's going to be a real large cost.”
No dollar amounts were given by the Tobias or the participating legislators when pressed for a figure.
O’Mara stated the council would consist of all volunteers and could meet in a room at the State Capitol in Albany at no cost.
Palmesano said the costs should not be a barrier to the legislation.
“It’s really minimal in the context of a quarter trillion dollar budget about something that’s going to save lives,” said Palmesano. “That should be a priority versus some of the other priorities that we see coming from the legislature.”
Similar legislation was vetoed by Hochul in 2024.
In a veto memo regarding the veto of 29 bills including the rural suicide prevention council legislation on Nov. 22, 2024, Gov. Hochul expressed that costs, duplication and resources were factors in the decision.
"I share a strong interest in addressing the problems and issues identified in this legislation, and I commend the Legislature for seeking to address such a broad array of problems," Hochul wrote.
"However, enactment of this package of legislation would collectively cost the State approximately [$24 million]. None of these costs are accounted for in the State Financial Plan. Without appropriate funding, these unbudgeted costs would create significant staffing and other programmatic burdens on State agencies. Additionally, because of the ongoing work of State agencies and authorities, a number of the proposals would result in duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy."
Hochul said the proposals would "be more appropriately considered in the context of the State budget process."
It is unclear whether this legislation will be signed into law before the close of 2026.
"Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested nearly $2 billion to strengthen the state’s mental health system to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to critical resources when they need them most. The Governor will review the legislation,” said a spokesperson for the governor in an email to WSKG.
Elisa Tobia said if the governor does not sign this bill, the next plan is for people to show up on the Capitol steps in Albany with photos of their loved ones.
“People send the message that they are affected by this, and even though their loved one may be lost or someone who's been an [attempt] survivor, we all will need to stand there and represent, and then they get the attention.”
Tobia said he and his wife’s dedication to pursuing statewide legislation for resources is what their son would have wanted. Tobia has four tattoos on his arms in honor of his son.
“Very compassionate young man,” said Tobia. “Matthew was very family oriented. He loved his family, and you know, the tattoos I got on my arms. There's four of them. They're Matt's tattoos. They're not mine. They're Matthew's, and he didn't have a lot. You know, after he passed, there wasn't a lot that he had. So I wanted to hold on to the tattoos. He always thought they were pretty cool, so I thought I'll hold on to them for him.”
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has access to resources in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes areas.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency dial 911.