MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) — Mesa County has a higher suicide rate than Colorado and the United States, according to a presentation hosted by Mesa County.
The presentation was given Wednesday morning on a community health needs assessment. The assessment covered multiple topics including suicide.
Shaelynn Watts, who was the lead of the data team at Mesa County Public Health, tells WesternSlopeNow the decisions and behaviors of those who have died by suicide depend on a collection of factors.
"Where they live, learn, work and play," said Watts who announced the county has implemented strategies to help prevent instances of suicide by creating a suicide prevention coalition.
"Making sure that people feel economically stable reduces their risk of suicide. Making sure that people are… feel connected in their community, reduces their risk of suicide."
Mesa County Public Health Chief Health Strategist Allison Howe detailed why sharing the information found in the assessment is important to helping residents overcome their health struggles.
"Every single person who lives in the Grand Valley is impacted by something in this document. So, we want everybody in this community to care because it's them, it's their sister, it's their co-worker, that's lives can be improved if we work on this together."
If you would like to learn more about the study and its findings click here.