Joan Jatto ’25 is one of 26 student fellows conducting research with a community-based organization in upstate New York this summer as a part of the Upstate Institute Summer Field School.
Suicide is a public health issue in Madison County and in the United States. Madison County has one of the highest rates of suicide in New York State. According to the New York State Department of Health, for every 100,000 people, there are 14.1 deaths in Madison County, in comparison to the state average, which is 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people (New York State DOH data).
This summer, I had the opportunity to advocate and raise awareness of suicide prevention for Madison County, New York, working as a Field School Fellow for BRiDGES, the Madison County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. BRiDGES is a local nonprofit organization that works to connect community members and those affected by addiction, suicide, substance misuse, and mental health to support and resources. The organization’s mission is to provide advocacy and services to individuals, the community, the workforce, and families, through programs that promote good and healthy environments.
Since starting my work with the staff at BRiDGES, I have come to learn much more about the other community coalition/services with which the organization is affiliated, such as workplace wellness, school programs, advancing tobacco-free communities, and many more. This helped me to learn and understand how nonprofit organizations organize events and local outreach that works to benefit everyone in the entire community. Amidst the COVID pandemic, BRiDGES stayed committed to its mission and continued many of these community services, while transitioning to virtual programming and remote work for the safety of its staff and clients.
My work with BRiDGES this year is specifically centered around the STEPtember for Suicide Prevention Walk, which is an initiative to raise awareness about and reduce the rate of suicide and provide plans for suicide prevention in Madison County. BRiDGES has decided to host only an in-person STEPtember Walk this September 2022. In order to make this day successful and accommodate as many participants as possible, I worked with my coworkers to create content on Canva to promote the walk for the organization’s Facebook Event page and update the walk’s social media platform as well as the website and registration process for the in-person participants. The goal of my work is to increase registration from community members all over Madison County and nearby areas to show their support for local suicide prevention.
I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity to apply my skills and interest in combating this public health issue as a part of the Upstate Institute Summer Field School. I have had previous experience working with my local community in conducting research, which has prepared me for this role, but working with BRiDGES allowed me to gain real insight into the world of nonprofits. The fellowship increased my knowledge of ways to mitigate major health issues in upstate New York, and I appreciate the valuable support I received from the Upstate Institute along the way. I was drawn to the Upstate Institute program this summer to seek new challenges and opportunities with an organization that aligns with my career goals; in the future, I hope to continue working hands-on with communities, to be an advocate for a better community and better health care system, and to be a medical doctor.