GENESEO, N.Y., April 16, 2025 — On Sunday, April 27, Livingston County and the Genesee Valley Health Partnership will join SUNY Geneseo and Sisters Making a Change (SMAC) for the annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk. The event aims to engage with youth and young adults in the fight to prevent suicide.
The Out of Darkness Walk will start at noon on the SUNY Geneseo Campus’ College Green. On-site registration begins at 11 a.m. The event coincides with hundreds of other Out of the Darkness Campus Walks promoting suicide prevention in cities across the nation.
The walk is held in Geneseo each year by the social and service sorority SMAC, in partnership with the Livingston County Suicide Prevention Task Force, to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Event organizers have set a goal of raising $10,000 for this year’s walk.
“The Livingston County Suicide Prevention Task Force membership looks forward to this annual collaboration with Sisters Making a Change,” said Lynne Mignemi, chairperson of the Livingston County Suicide Prevention Task Force. “The Western New York Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partners with localities in hosting the Out of the Darkness Walks on college campuses. These walks raise money to support suicide loss, attempt survivors, and provide local resources and information on suicide prevention. Reducing stigma around mental health conversations builds capacity, providing a positive blueprint for action for those who may struggle with mental health challenges. We are proud of our longstanding collaboration with Sisters Making a Change, bringing the college and Livingston County community together for this annual event."
According to the latest from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States with more than 49,000 people having taken their own life in 2023. That is one death by suicide every 11 minutes. Additionally, the CDC reports there were 1.5 million suicide attempts that same year. The recently issued 2025 Annual Data Release from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, reports Livingston County’s suicide rate at 13 deaths per 100,000 residents. That exceeds the reported statewide average of eight per 100,000 residents.
The County has joined with local agencies, including Noyes Mental Health and Wellness Services, Genesee Valley Health Partnership, CASA Mental Health Services and its own Health Department to offer resources educating the community about suicide prevention. Livingston County also offers a range of programming designed to help residents considering suicide, struggling with mental health, or simply in need of help. Livingston County Mental Health Services is a County-operated clinic licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health. It provides teletherapy and in-person access to medication management providers, therapists, social workers and counselors for children and adults who encounter mental health issues such as stress, significant life-changing events, trauma and more.
Lock and Talk Livingston is a suicide prevention program championed by the Suicide Prevention Task Force and supported by the County. It is modeled after Lock and Talk Virginia, a statewide suicide prevention program focusing on reducing access to lethal means. Livingston was the first county in New York State to adopt the model, which is now being used by several other counties across the state. Lock and Talk Livingston is aimed at preventing self-harm by limiting access to firearms, medications, and other potentially dangerous items during a mental health crisis. The program provides gun owners and retailers with evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training, free safety devices such as gun and medication locks, and disposal pouches for unused medications in the home. Promoting safe storage practices for weapons and reducing the stigma around discussions of mental health are key components of the Lock and Talk Livingston program.
Additionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides those in crisis with access to professional counselors and other mental health resources. If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can speak to someone today who may be able to help by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org.
For more information about the Out of the Darkness Walk in Geneseo, please visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website.
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About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is home to more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.