Editor’s note: This story discusses suicide. If you or people you know are at risk of self-harm, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24-hour support at 1-800-273-8255.
In the last five years, Utah has lost roughly 3,200 residents to suicide, Rep. Steve Eliason said Monday, a number equivalent to the combined populations of Daggett and Piute Counties.
And in just the past year, the Sandy Republican said, the loss of life to suicide in the state exceeded the population of Huntsville.
Utah’s suicide rates have leveled off, which Eliason described as an important and natural progression ahead of, potentially, decreasing the frequency of suicide, which is the leading cause of death for the state’s youth.