NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Youth Suicide Prevention Program Hosts Block Party for Suicide Prevention Month
Lively event designed to bring attention to the issue youth suicides featured wellnesses exercises, arts activities, tabling by community-based organizations, entertainment, and remarks from hospital and civic leadership
Sep 18, 2025
Elmhurst, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst recently recognized Suicide Prevention Month with its 3rd Annual ESPY Block Party, drawing hundreds of community members and families, and youth advocates to hospital’s 41st Avenue’s entrance for a day of contemplation, hope, and action. The event, hosted by the hospital’s Elmhurst Suicide Prevention in Youth Program (ESPY), engaged the community through a variety of fun wellness activities, arts and crafts, entertainment, mental health resources, and tabling by local non-profits and social service organizations. Hospital leadership and local elected officials also made remarks and urged young people and other people in attendance to pay attention to issues of mental health and be committed to practicing self-care. The event concluded with a Suicide Prevention Walk around the hospital grounds to honor lives lost and reaffirm the community’s commitment to suicide prevention.
Suicide remains the second-leading cause of death for youth ages 10–24, and Queens youth have the highest rate of youth suicide in New York City. Nationally, Black and Latine students are at higher risk of suicide attempts than their white peers, and LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to seriously consider suicide. Elmhurst Hospital’s ESPY program, funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health, has connected with more than 28,000 young people and families since its inception in June 2023, providing workshops, school-based education, and public events like the Block Party to confront stigma and promote mental health equity. The program provides culturally responsive suicide prevention services for at-risk youth and families in Queens, including school-based workshops, peer leadership training, parent support groups, and public awareness campaigns throughout the year.
“I am enormously proud of our ESPY team for putting together an amazing event highlighting the terribly sad issue of suicide among youth in our community,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde. “Far too many young lives that could have been full of promise have ended tragically through silence, a lack of resources and an inability to find help. We want that to end. We want our young people to know that there is hope and a light and the end of the tunnel, even when times are hard or challenging. Events like today aim to empower our youth to seek help and envision a brighter future for themselves.”
“This celebration of life showcased the strength of our Queens community—resilient, united, and committed to addressing the vital issue of suicide prevention that touches us all,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Director of Behavioral Health Dr. Vladimir Gasca. “With hope in our hearts and the promise that no one will ever be left alone, the Behavioral Health Services Department reaffirms its commitment to providing access to comprehensive services for anyone in need. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to making this event both meaningful and successful.”
“Our ESPY event reminded all of us that no one should carry despair alone,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Phillip Fairweather. “By speaking openly, we honor the struggle – and by standing together, we showed young people that there is hope, there is love, and that there is a safe place for them here at our second home we loving call Elmhurst.”
“We were proud to sponsor Elmhurst Hospital’s 2nd Annual Block Party, which brought together hundreds of families to enjoy live entertainment, children’s activities, health screenings, and community resources,” said New York State Assembly Member Catalina Cruz. “This year’s celebration also marked the start of National Suicide Prevention Month, a powerful reminder of the importance of breaking the stigma around mental health and making sure our neighbors know they are never alone. Thank you to Elmhurst Hospital and all the partners who helped create a day full of joy, unity, and life-saving resources for our community.”
“I was honored to join Elmhurst Hospital’s Suicide Prevention in Youth Block Party. Programs and events like this are vital to our community—not only raising awareness, but also connecting young people and families to life-saving, culturally competent, and LGBTQ-affirming services,” said New York State Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas. “Our children deserve to know that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved, and that their community stands ready to care for them. As a steadfast champion of mental healthcare in the New York State Assembly, I will continue to fight to ensure that every young person has access to the support and resources they need to heal and thrive. I am grateful to Elmhurst Hospital for its unwavering commitment to protecting and uplifting our youth.”
“I am proud to partner with Elmhurst Hospital on the ESPY Block Party, an incredible effort to raise awareness and foster open conversations about mental health,” said Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar. “Breaking the stigma around seeking help is vital. Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young people. Addressing this crisis demands collective action, compassion, and accessible resources for all New Yorkers. Together, we can build a community where no one feels alone, and every young person knows there is hope, healing, and the promise of a brighter future.”
“Our Block Party in honor of National Suicide Prevention Month was a beautiful reminder for me of why we do this work,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Community Health Worker Ioannis Demopoulos. “We saw youth, families, and our local partners come together to support each other and talk openly about mental health. It is in moments like this, in community with others, where we see the walls of stigma around suicide begin to crumble. I’m so proud to be part of a movement that brings hope and healing to Elmhurst and the wider community that we serve.”
“The block party was a blast! It truly showed the power and importance of community when discussing suicide prevention,” said Lindsey McCrossan, who volunteered at the event. “Oftentimes when we’re struggling, we feel isolated and alone, but the block party showed us that there is always someone out there who cares.”
“The block party was a really great experience that brought everyone in the community together. It was nice to see everyone uniting for a common goal, which was making people aware of suicide and its impact!” said Jenna Taub-Runo, another volunteer. “Reducing the stigma around suicide is super important because many feel that they can’t speak about their feelings and that they’re alone. By helping everyone to talk about it, we are reducing the impact it has on the community by letting people know it’s okay to have those feelings and that there are people who care about you and want you to be here.”
For more information or to get involved in future programming, email: ElmhurstESPY@nychhc.org or call 718 334-1340.
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Media Contact:
Atiya Butler, Director of External Affairs, 917 319-5167, butlerat@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The 545-bed hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station, a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Receiving Center, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center of Excellence, and a 911-Receiving Hospital. It is a premiere health care institution offering exceptional services across a wide range of specialties, including surgery, cardiology, women’s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, and mental health care. In the past year alone, the hospital received nearly one million ambulatory care visits and over 140,000 emergency room visits, reflecting its essential role in the community. NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst has been nationally ranked and recognized as a “Best Regional Hospital” by U.S. News & World Report in critical areas such as Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Hip Fracture, Maternity, Kidney Failure, Orthopedics, Pneumonia, and COPD.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
