Our hearts grow weary and our minds speed up as we desperately search for an answer to end Colorado’s suicide crisis. In looking for that answer—the one that will save lives and improve the social determinants of health within our cities—we consider various risk-factors that gravely affect the well-being of the people who live here: limited mental health services, high rates of illicit drug use and substance use disorders, exposure to violent crime and/or abuse, access to weapons and/or firearms, and even a low percentage of high school graduates. Yes, further examination of and increased efforts put forth on account of the above risk-factors are critical for suicide prevention, but also, for addressing the mental health stigma that still exists today.

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