Southeast Utah Health Department
Trigger Warning: This news release will discuss suicide and mental health. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. For local specific resources visit seuhealth.com.
Carbon County – In Southeast Utah (Carbon, Emery & Grand Counties) there was an increase in suicide deaths in 2023 compared to previous years. Between the years of 2018-2022, the jurisdiction has an average of 9.4 suicides per year. In 2023, there were 20 suicides, more than double the average. This is devastating to impacted families, friends, colleagues, and our entire community. Our condolences go to all those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
At the Southeast Utah Health Department, we always seek new ways to help and we recognize the need for additional resources to prevent suicide deaths within our three counties. We are working closely with the state and Four Corners Community Behavioral Health to both educate our communities on prevention strategies, as well as to distribute educational materials throughout the area.
Over 50% of the individuals who died by suicide in 2023 worked in an occupation that required significant physical labor. This is not to minimize other suicide deaths, but rather to bring focus to this high-risk population, and to encourage conversations that will help everyone know they can seek help without having a negative stigma attached to them. In an effort to educate the community, the Southeast Utah Health Department is partnering with the USU Extension HEART to host a free community dinner and presentation, Carbon & Emery Conversation for Coal Miners & Mental Health, where research will be presented on “Wellbeing, Mental Health, and Natural Resource Dependency in Rural Utah.”
To register for this free community dinner and be a part of this conversation visit: bit.ly/3SWZTG3