Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and all 18 county elected officials signed a joint proclamation declaring September 2026 Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, a move aimed at highlighting available mental health resources. The initiative arrives as the county continues to expand residential support for residents facing mental health crises, following the 2025 opening of the Featherstone Boarding Home.
County-Wide Proclamation for Awareness
The proclamation, which was signed on September 1, 2026, saw participation from the Salt Lake County Council and all independently elected officials. Mayor Wilson, who requested that every elected office sign the document together, credited Treasurer Sheila Srivastava with driving the effort from its inception.
Mayor Wilson stated that the joint signature is intended to signal to residents that they are not alone and that the county will continue to support services that ensure public safety. She urged residents to learn warning signs and to share the 988 lifeline with anyone in need. Srivastava noted that the proclamation aims to foster open conversation as a method to save lives, expressing gratitude to the Mayor for bringing all officials to the table.
Utah Suicide Statistics
The call for increased awareness comes amid significant mental health challenges in Utah. In 2024, Utah's suicide rate reached 19.5 deaths per 100,000 residents, ranking the state 7th highest in the nation. That year, the state lost 665 residents to suicide, averaging nearly two deaths per day.
Data also indicates a high frequency of suicide attempts, with emergency rooms reporting approximately 15 additional visits each day for attempts. Suicide remains the second leading cause of death for Utahns between the ages of 10 and 44. Among high school students, nearly 23 percent have seriously considered suicide, 18.5 percent have developed a plan, and 9 percent have attempted it.
New Residential Support for Women
To address these challenges, Salt Lake County has prioritized investments in behavioral health services. As reported by the Cottonwood Heights Journal, the county recently opened Stonebridge, a 29-bed residential home designed to help women with severe and persistent mental illness avoid cycles of homelessness, hospitalization, and incarceration.
Located at 143 W. 800 South, Stonebridge is operated by Odyssey House of Utah. The facility was funded through a partnership involving Salt Lake County, the state of Utah, and the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation. The project involved approximately $2.8 million for the property purchase and $500,000 for renovations, with annual operating costs expected to reach $1.5 million.
Operational Details of Stonebridge
Stonebridge provides 24-hour supervision and wraparound services, including medication support, clinical therapy, and assistance from peers with recovery experience. Residents do not enter directly from the street; they must be referred by an Assertive Community Treatment team and be stabilized on medication prior to admission.
Salt Lake County Councilmember Amy Winder Newton noted that the group home program is a cost-effective way to provide care, as it allows the county to use state matching dollars and federal Medicaid dollars. Winder Newton pointed out that many individuals with severe mental illness are booked into the county jail because Medicaid does not cover their healthcare, and that these group homes help keep people out of jail and off the streets.
Long-Term Housing Goals
The Stonebridge project is one of three group homes expected to open in 2026, which together are projected to house 90 people. This expansion is part of the county's Behavioral Health and Justice Action Plan, which includes 25 recommendations to improve how local systems respond to behavioral health crises.
Mayor Wilson emphasized the personal impact of the facility, stating that the 29 beds represent 29 lives that will be enhanced, giving women a second chance at life. The facility also supports the county's five-year goal to create at least 1,000 deeply affordable housing units, addressing one of the most resource-intensive types of housing to provide.
Foundational Mental Health Initiatives
The expansion of residential care follows the grand opening of the Clinical Consultants Featherstone Boarding Home on March 27, 2025. This 30-unit residence was established to provide intensive, on-site support for individuals with severe mental illness and serves as a key component of the county's Five-Year Human Services, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Action Plan.
Featherstone was a partnership between the state of Utah, the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), and Salt Lake County. The state provided half of the funding for the facility as part of its support for the Healing Opportunities to Mentally Excel Court Pilot Program, an initiative creating community-based alternatives for individuals who do not meet the standard for civil commitment.
Addressing Homelessness and Crisis
Similar to the Stonebridge model, Featherstone residents are referred through an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. Salt Lake County has expanded access to this person-centered care through five ACT teams that serve over 400 individuals, a move intended to reduce hospitalizations, jail stays, and homelessness.
County officials have estimated that at least 300 people experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County require intensive mental health care and housing. The expansion of these facilities, including the upcoming Stonebridge, aims to replace repeated crisis intervention with stable housing and continuous care.
