GRAND JUNCTION – The Mesa County coroner say 55 residents died by suicide last year, the most in five years.
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported Monday that was nine more than 2017 and seven more than 2016.
Coroner Victor Yahn calls the increase disheartening.
Yahn’s annual report on deaths in the county says nearly half of those who took their own lives had attempted to do so in the past or expressed thoughts about it.
The report says 32% received mental health services and 13% didn’t. It was unknown whether they had in 55% of cases.
Sarah Robinson of Mesa County Public Health said the report is one of several sources the organization looks at. She says the group will continue assessing data to determine whether it’s meeting the public’s needs.
How to get help
Help for people having suicidal thoughts or for those who fear a person is considering killing himself:
Axis Health System:
24-hour hotline at 247-5245.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
(800) 273-TALK (8255) or text “TALK” to 741741.
RED Nacional de Prevención Del Suicidio:
(888) 628-9454.
National Crisis text Hotline:
741741
Fort Lewis College Counseling Center:
247-7212.
Boys Town Hotline:
(800) 448-3000.
Safe2Tell Colorado:
(877) 542-7233 or online at https://safe2tell.org.
Colorado Crisis Support Line:
(844) 493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255 or online at
www.coloradocrisisservices.org
to access a live chat available in 17 languages. The line has mental-health professionals available to talk to adults or youths about any crisis, 24 hours a day.
Trevor Project:
(866) 488-7386. Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth via online chat, text or phone.
Second Wind Fund:
(720) 962-0706. This is not a crisis hotline, but the fund is available to youths who face social or financial barriers to crisis counseling. The organization requires a referral by a school counselor or mental-health professional.
Survivors Support Group:
Heartbeat of Durango meets from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the Grief Center, 2243 Main Ave., second floor. For more information, call Janna at 749-1673.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
Colorado chapter information available at
https://afsp.org/chapter/afsp-colorado/
.
For men:
A website for adult men contemplating suicide, who often are unwilling to seek help, is available at
.
