This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Gov. Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Department of Health are calling for more progress on lowering the state’s suicide rate.
The announcement from Sept. 4 comes at the beginning of suicide prevention awareness month in Wyoming.
The state has had one of the highest suicide rates in the U.S. for most of the last decade.
In press release, Gordon wrote, “We are making strides destigmatizing the discussion and lowering suicide rates. There is still much work to be done, however.”
He suggested “securing sustainable funding for the 988 lifeline, implementing the Wyoming State Suicide Prevention Plan, and supporting innovative community programs such as … Veterans Talking to Veterans.”
Funding for the 988 lifeline could be appropriated to the state budget for the 2026-2027 biennium during the upcoming legislative budget session in February. It’s unclear if such an appropriation would survive House lawmakers’ red pens, now that the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and its endorsees dominate the lower chamber and have promised DOGE-style reviews of the budget and the Health Department.
Legislators formed a mental health task force in 2023 to help tackle the issue.
The Mental Health & Vulnerable Adult Task Force drafted four bills in advance of the last legislative session, but all died in committee.
They would’ve allowed court-supervised mental health treatment, established a loan program to pay for veterans to study psychology at the University of Wyoming with the intent that they provide services to other veterans, created a mental health program for K-12 students and allowed state agencies to share information and data about state-monitored youth in the juvenile justice system.
This reporting was made possible by a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, supporting state government coverage in the state. Wyoming Public Media and Jackson Hole Community Radio are partnering to cover state issues both on air and online.
