In 2023, the next phase of suicide prevention barrier legislation is pending before the Senate (S586) and the House (H6002).

A lot has happened since this odyssey began to install barriers on the state’s bridges over Narragansett Bay. Kudos to Sen. Lou DiPalma, Rep. Joseph Solomon, all legislative co-sponsors, the Speaker of the House, the Senate President and the Governor for their efforts to appropriate the first $1 million to get this initiative started.

Kudos to U.S. Sen. Jack Reed for publicly stating we will try to find the money to make this effort a reality. Congratulations to Bryan Ganley and Melissa Cotta of Bridging the Gap for Safety and Healing for getting the publicity needed for public awareness. Thank you to all who have testified on behalf of the installation of barriers. Thank you to the nearly 8,000 petition signers to date supporting barriers on the bridges.

Without question, these historic accomplishments are amazing. However, the reality is nothing has happened yet in the way of installing barriers and more people continue to die falling from our bridges. What do we need to do right now? In my book, the answer is two-fold:

First, we must build public confidence that this initiative will happen.  Just as is done with other disasters, or as we are now doing with statewide highway improvements, timely and clear updates from Gov. Dan McKee jointly with the R.I. Turnpike and Bridge Authority board members, not staff nor PR consultants, need to be issued regularly – starting with a status report of the first $1 million already appropriated for the Mt. Hope and Jamestown bridges.

The status report should be detailed and not one or two sentences. Obfuscation does not build confidence. A transparent status report and then regular updates will demonstrate humanity, responsibility, urgency and bring hope to the hundreds of people impacted each time a suicide occurs.

Everyone from the hopeless and suicidal, to first responders, emergency room medical staff, mental health workers and those left behind by suicide need to know they matter to the governor and Authority members.

Second? Using OSHA construction standards, install temporary barriers.

The world is watching, Rhode Island. From the introduction of the first legislation more than three years ago, stories about our efforts to install suicide prevention barriers have been in more than 100 national and global traditional, social and trade media outlets, as well as noted by Befrienders Worldwide at its conference in Asia and to its members in more than 40 countries.

In 2023, with the passage of Senate and House legislation, the General Assembly and the governor have an opportunity to complete the job. In a single step, they can appropriate the funding for the engineering study of the Pell Bridge and include the funding for the innovative design, manufacture and installation of permanent barriers on all three bridges. Together, they can change the course of destiny, make history and inspire the world.

Denise Panichas
The Samaritans of Rhode Island
Executive Director