A measure requiring the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in collaboration with the Department of Public Health (CDPH), to identify best practices for deterring suicide attempts on bridges and overpasses was approved today by the Assembly with strong bipartisan support and sent to the governor. The bill, AB 440, was introduced by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino). Ramos is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature. Ramos chairs the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #6 on Public Safety.
AB 440 continues Ramos’s broader efforts to strengthen mental health care in California. In 2020, he authored AB 2112, which created the Office of Suicide Prevention to serve as the state’s lead agency for coordinating suicide prevention strategies and resources.
Ramos stated, “California must do more to confront the great tragedy of suicide in our communities. Many times, individuals in distress need just a pause to reconsider their actions that can lead to irreversible harm to themselves and loved ones. Barriers and other interventions can stop that pain. Caltrans and CDPH must work together to identify and implement best practices to prevent future sorrow.”
According to the Assembly floor analysis, a 2024 report in the Journal of Preventive Medicine found that physical barriers are effective in reducing suicides at high-risk locations, and that these deterrents do not lead individuals to substitute other locations or methods. The report also noted that suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge decreased by 73% following the installation of a barrier in 2024, and attempts were reduced by 34%.
Lyn Morris, CEO of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, said, “Didi Hirsch is thrilled to learn that AB 440 has successfully passed both Senate and Assembly floor votes this week and is on its way to the Governor! We are profoundly grateful to Assemblymember Ramos for his steadfast leadership on efforts to reduce suicides in our state. AB 440 demonstrates that there is an unwavering commitment and belief that collectively, we can prevent suicide." Didi Hirsch is a sponsor of AB 440.
The bill is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the Bridge Rail Foundation, California Alliance of Child and Family Services, California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies, California Hospital Association, California Police Chiefs Association, County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, California State Association of Psychiatrists, Children Now, National Alliance on Mental Illness California (NAMI CA), County of San Bernardino, City of Rancho Cucamonga, United Domestic Workers/AFSCME Local 3930, Wayfinder Family Services, Hillsides Pasadena, Helpline Youth Counseling, and Sycamores.
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