Price City officials and mental health advocates are preparing for September Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, addressing rising mental health concerns among Utah youth. The initiative follows data showing Utah's suicide rate remains higher than the national average and that local health districts face significant challenges, including higher-than-average rates in the Central Utah local health district.
City Council Proclamation
During a meeting on Aug. 26, 2026, the Price City Council considered a proclamation for Mayor Terry Willis to designate September as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Amanda McIntosh, a suicide prevention liaison, attended the session to discuss the agenda item, according to a public notice from the City of Price.
Utah Suicide Statistics
The effort to increase awareness comes as Utah faces significant mental health challenges. From 2021 to 2023, Utah's age-adjusted suicide rate was 20.93 per 100,000 persons, with an average of 685 suicides per year. In 2023, there were 696 suicide deaths recorded in the state. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services reported that suicide was the second leading cause of death for Utahns aged 10 to 17, 18-24, and 25 to 44, and the fifth leading cause of death for those aged 45 to 64. Overall, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death for Utahns.
Youth Mental Health Data
Data from the Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey highlights the mental health landscape for the state's youth. In 2025, 78,705 students participated in the survey. According to SHARP data, 12.6% of those students seriously considered suicide. Additionally, 37% of Utah high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless in the 12 months preceding the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Emergency Room Trends
The impact of mental health struggles extends beyond fatal incidents. In 2022, 14 Utahns were treated for self-inflicted injuries every day, including 3,816 treat-and-release emergency department visits and 1,311 total hospitalizations, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. The 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey further indicated that 22.9% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide, while 18.5% reported making a suicide plan.
Regional Health Disparities
Regional disparities in suicide rates are evident in Utah's local health districts. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services reported that from 2021 to 2023, the TriCounty, Central Utah, Southwest, and San Juan local health districts had significantly higher age-adjusted suicide rates compared to the state average. Specifically, the Central Utah local health district has been identified as having a higher rate than the state average.
Statewide Prevention Efforts
Efforts to prevent suicide involve collaborative state-level work. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP), funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), implements the Utah Violent Death Reporting System (UTVDRS). This system collects data from the Office of the Medical Examiner, Vital Records, and law enforcement agencies to help identify risk factors and characterize violent deaths. The VIPP also partners with the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health, the Utah State Board of Education, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Utah to build prevention capacity.
Community Support Events
The Price City Council has also been managing other community needs alongside mental health initiatives. At a meeting on Feb. 25, 2026, the council discussed a request from Amanda McIntosh, a suicide prevention liaison with Four Corners Community Behavioral Health, for a fee waiver to use the Price Peace Gardens for two September events. These events included an annual Candlelight Vigil for World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10, 2026, and the annual HOPE Walk for suicide prevention on Sept. 11 and 12, 2026.
