Light in the Darkness: Colorado's Youth Mental Health Progress
As September arrives, we observe National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness, reducing stigma, and highlighting the critical importance of suicide prevention efforts across our communities. For Colorado, this September brings particularly encouraging news: the state has achieved its lowest youth suicide rate since 2007, demonstrating that comprehensive prevention strategies are creating real, measurable change in saving young lives.
In 2024, there were 39 suicide deaths among youth ages 10-18; a suicide rate of 5.85 deaths per 100,000 youth ages 10-18. That is down from the peak youth suicide rate in 2020 at 12.91 deaths per 100,000 youth, which represented 87 youth deaths by suicide that year [1]. This progress is particularly significant when viewed in context. Colorado has historically struggled with higher-than-average suicide rates, making this downward trend all the more meaningful. While the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) notes that the reasons behind this encouraging trend are unclear and cannot be attributed to any single factor, it does credit prevention programs as a primary influence.
This victory inspires hope, but it’s also a rallying cry - there is more work ahead, and we cannot slow down now! National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides an important opportunity for meaningful action, as well as reflection. Evidence shows that discussing mental health openly while also funding suicide prevention programs produces positive results. While we celebrate this significant milestone in Colorado, the work is far from over. Every life lost to suicide represents an immeasurable tragedy, creating lasting ripple effects that deeply impact families and communities for generations.
Youth prevention programs here in Colorado are linked below. Please consider supporting them this September!