Colorado suicide rate decreases, while Trump administration threatens LGBTQ+ youth suicide line

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) - While the nation has seen an increase in death by suicide in the past few years, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) says that it's one of a few states that has actually seen a decrease.

According to CDPHE, the age-adjusted suicide fatality rate in Colorado in 2023 was 20.93 per 100,000 population, which shows a slight overall decrease over previous years. CDPHE attributes this trend to the Office of Suicide Prevention's ability to direct Coloradans to mental health resources.

The Office of Suicide Prevention encourages Coloradan's to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if they are struggling with an emotional, mental health, or substance use concern.

This comes as a leaked budget proposal obtained by NPR shows that one resource of the national suicide call line is under fire, reportedly from the Trump administration. According to our Denver news partners at 9NEWS, a federal suicide prevention lifeline tailored to LGBTQ+ youth is at risk of being eliminated due to budget cuts. Currently, when dialing 988, callers are given several options, including one to connect with counselors specially trained to support LGBTQ+ youth. This option has been utilized across the nation more than 1.3 million times since it launched nearly three years ago. Calling or texting 988 is free and offers human support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“Many of us have been personally impacted by suicide, and we grieve together with families and communities across Colorado who have lost loved ones,” said Lena Heilmann, director of CDPHE’s Office of Suicide Prevention, who lost her sister to suicide in 2012. “We’re proud of the strides we’ve made together that have helped people access helpful resources when they need that additional support, especially during a period of crisis, but we know there is always more work to do."

Here are some of CDPHE's suicide initiatives:

• Collaboration for change: The office collaborates with the Suicide Prevention Commission, now extended for another decade due to its success in reducing suicide rates statewide.
• Empowering schools: Funding from the Attorney General's Office and federal grants have supported the implementation of Sources of Strength, which, in a peer-reviewed study, has been shown to reduce suicide attempts by 30% in over 100 schools across Colorado.
• Crisis support: The Colorado Follow-Up Project has provided critical follow-up services to over 28,000 individuals after a mental health crisis, including those who have attempted suicide, across 80 hospitals. 
• Accessible therapy: The office partners with the Second Wind Fund to provide free suicide-specific therapy to underinsured or uninsured youth, reaching over 1,000 young people, eliminating barriers to mental health care. 
• Provider training: Nearly 3,000 mental health care providers have been trained in the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality framework, which is part of the Zero Suicide Colorado initiative, to provide suicide-specific care to suicidal individuals. 
• Gun shop outreach: Conducting outreach at over 1,500 gun shops and community events, the office has supported 2,500 visits to provide critical suicide prevention and gun safety resources through the Colorado Gun Shop Project. 
• Community support: The office utilizes grants to fund community-based organizations that deliver tailored services to high-risk populations, including veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and rural residents. 
• Community grants: The office funds twelve agencies that serve 27 Colorado counties to implement a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention, which includes increasing connectedness, economic stability, education and awareness, suicide-safer care, lethal means safety, and postvention.

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