Colorado Increasingly Using Mental Health Response Teams to Combat Suicide

Colorado consistently ranks among the states with the highest rates of suicide. Age-adjusted 2025 data show that Colorado has the eighth-highest number of suicides in the nation, a rate that has remained flat for the past several years. Colorado’s high suicide rate stands in stark contrast to the state’s reputation as one of America’s healthiest. America’s Health Rankings, from the United Health Foundation, list Coloradans among the least obese and most physically active residents. However, Colorado Department of Health data suggest that wealthier Coloradans have access to resources that lead to them being healthier and safer than those with lower incomes. This disparity may be a reason why rates of suicide are higher in some Colorado counties than others. 

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Colorado’s rural communities, which are often cited in reporting about mental health problems, substance use disorders, and suicide, continue to suffer significantly higher rates of suicide than less rural parts of the state. In fact, suicide rates are higher in rural communities nationwide. Several factors are believed to contribute to the problem of rural suicidality: lack of accessible healthcare, isolation and loneliness, financial problems, substance use, and access to firearms. Importantly, not all rural communities are equally impacted by these adverse conditions or have high suicide rates. But in communities where people live further from others and with a prevalence of older adults, financial hardship, a lack of medical care, untreated physical and mental illness, and access to guns, rates of suicide tend to be higher.

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As reported in The Colorado Sun, Routt County is one of the latest Colorado counties to combat suicide by introducing Mental Health Response Teams, which typically pair a member of law enforcement with a qualified mental health responder or clinician. Routt County’s team, which became active in September, is comprised of Sheriff’s Deputy Dawn Smith and licensed clinical social worker Tracy Dierksen. The pair responds to calls where mental health problems or suicide risk seem likely causes of distress. In some cases, the people they help are experiencing severe mental health crises or psychosis, which prevents affected individuals from being able to make rational decisions. In other cases, they find people “spiraling” from trying to deal with complex and demoralizing life situations without help. Suicidality can be triggered when people begin to feel hopeless and perceive that they have no recourse or resources to resolve their situation successfully. 

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One of the primary benefits of the Mental Health Response Team is its ability to assist these individuals effectively. An experienced social worker is often trained to provide mental health first aid, can assess for potential mental illness and suicidal ideation, and is familiar with resources that can help the individual before their situation worsens. The solutions proposed by these teams can be significantly more effective and beneficial than interventions by law enforcement alone.

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Mental illness, suicidality, and substance use disorder are highly related problems for many people in Colorado’s rural communities. Routt County is home to Foundry Steamboat, our comprehensive treatment program in Steamboat Springs for men experiencing substance use, co-occurring mental health disorders, and trauma. 

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Many of the men Foundry Steamboat serves live and work in Colorado’s rural communities and share similar lifestyles. Our clinicians commonly encounter men who live a significant distance from family and friends. They have family systems and friend groups in which drinking or other substance use is permissible or encouraged. Like many people in today’s economy, they face financial strain or the threat of losing their source of income. Some face legal troubles or a history of incarceration. Many suffer from loneliness and chronic pain. These factors, and others, often contribute to men self-medicating underlying mental health problems and pain with substances, which can lead to substance use disorders or addiction. 

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It is also not uncommon for people living with adverse life events and addictive disorders to develop suicidal ideation, which is something for which Foundry Steamboat screens incoming clients. Individuals expressing suicidal feelings may require hospitalization to become safe and medically stable before engaging in treatment. 

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Like the Mental Health Response Teams, Foundry Steamboat recognizes that someone’s sources of distress, fear, anxiety, and depression have roots in many aspects of life and require comprehensive approaches. Foundry Steamboat diagnoses and treats co-occurring mental health disorders, understands what other challenges clients may be facing in their lives, and connects them with a broad range of appropriate resources that can help. 

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High-quality, comprehensive behavioral healthcare offers a personalized, ongoing care plan designed to help individuals maintain their recovery. Truly helping people establish a sustainable recovery lifestyle means acknowledging the problems that are sources of mental and physical pain and stress, and how to solve them effectively. In this way, the work of behavioral healthcare and the Mental Health Response Teams can contribute to lowering Colorado’s suicide rate and improving the overall health and well-being of residents disproportionately affected by hardship and isolation.

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