(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — Children’s Hospital Colorado says El Paso County has one of the highest rates for suicide in Colorado and for Suicide Prevention Month in September are offering information and an opportunity to start conversations.
Dr. Lauren Eckhart, Clinical Director for the Colorado Springs Division of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute said, in 2023, 192 people took their lives including 16 minors, an increase from 2022. Dr. Eckhart said for every person who takes their own life, 115 people are impacted.
While a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Healthy Kids survey reported a positive trend across the state, one in four still experiences persistent thoughts of sadness and hopelessness for more than two weeks or more in a row.
“You know, I think it’s a really complicated issue and a lot of really smart people are trying to understand why specifically El Paso County and why Colorado,” said Dr. Eckhart.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Suicide Prevention Month is a “time to remember the lives lost to suicide, acknowledge the millions more who have experienced suicidal thoughts, and the many individuals, families, and communities that have been impacted by suicide.”