2025 Impact Highlight
Logan County, Eastern Region
Northeast Colorado Rural Suicide Prevention Coalition Project
Rural and frontier communities in Northeast Colorado face persistently high suicide rates, limited behavioral health providers, and stigma that prevents residents—especially agricultural producers and older adults—from seeking help. These challenges highlighted the need for a coordinated, community-driven engagement model to strengthen local prevention efforts and improve access to support resources.
The Northeast Colorado Rural Suicide Prevention Coalition Project, coordinated by the Eastern Region’s behavioral health specialist, implemented a comprehensive community engagement strategy to build two suicide-prevention coalitions across Northeast Colorado.
The team facilitated listening sessions in rural and frontier counties to identify local gaps, cultural barriers, and existing strengths. Using these findings, the team convened cross-sector partners including behavioral health providers, agricultural organizations, aging services, public health, faith leaders, schools, and first responders to develop collaborative coalitions tailored to each community’s unique needs and to deliver evidence-based trainings such as QPR, Mental Health First Aid, CALM, and trauma-informed practices, all with the goal of increasing local capacity to recognize, respond to, and prevent suicide.
Project Outcomes and Impacts
- 2 coalitions were established or revitalized across the Northeast region.
- 50 community partners engaged in ongoing suicide prevention work.
- Cross-sector networks now coordinate on outreach, crisis response, resource dissemination, and public education.
- 200 residents were trained in evidence-based suicide prevention programs.
- Agricultural producers and rural leaders reported increased confidence in having difficult conversations about mental health.
- Coalitions now host regular meetings, select priorities, and lead localized approaches adapted to each county’s culture.
- Created shared resource directories and communication channels across counties, including culturally relevant outreach efforts tailored for farmers, ranchers, and older adults.
- Increased referrals to behavioral health, primary care, peer support, and crisis resources.
- Coalitions identified gaps in crisis response, rural EMS capacity, and transportation, and aggregated findings informed local and regional planning, including public health improvement plans.
By improving suicide-prevention skills, expanding crisis-support networks, and building local leadership capacity, these coalitions help reduce risk, support community well-being, and empower residents to respond effectively to behavioral health challenges.
As a result, rural Coloradans benefit from more connected communities, stronger cross-sector partnerships, and systems that are better equipped to prevent suicide and support individuals in crisis—leading to healthier, more vibrant communities.