What were the expert consultants asked to do, and what did their report say?
The university asked three leaders in the field of suicide prevention to visit Ithaca, consult with campus and community members, provide education about current research and best practices, assess the challenges we face, and provide recommendations on how the university and the city should proceed to address these challenges. They recommended using a multifaceted approach to suicide prevention and noted that Cornell has been using such an approach. However, the consultants observed that in hindsight, one “hole” in the approach was not having means restrictions on the bridges. A growing body of research demonstrates that restricting access to well-recognized, accessible jumping sites has a substantial probability of reducing deaths by this means, and perhaps suicide rates overall. The consultants recommended maintaining adequate temporary barriers until permanent means restriction could be planned and installed on or under bridges. While the consultants did not recommend any particular
