The Office of Suicide Prevention’s mission is to serve as the lead entity for suicide prevention intervention supports and postvention efforts in Colorado; collaborating with communities statewide to reduce the impact of suicide.
Housed in the Prevention Services Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) is the designated lead entity for suicide prevention efforts in the state per C.R.S. §25-1.5-111(1)(w)(II)(a).
Colorado data summary
Suicide fatality rates in Colorado remain statistically steady but showed a slight overall decrease in 2023.
- In 2023 there were 890 adult suicide deaths.
- Adults ages 25-64 continue to have the highest rates and counts of suicide deaths, representing 69% of all suicide fatalities.
- Men represent 77% of suicide fatalities across all age groups.
- Men represent a disproportionate number of suicide deaths.
- In 2023, the age-adjusted suicide fatality rate in Colorado was 20.93 per 100,000 people.
- The suicide rate for youth ages 10-18 has remained statistically steady since 2014.
- The first and second lowest suicide rates for youth ages 10-18 since 2014 were recorded in 2022 and 2023:
- In 2022 the suicide rate was 8.33 per 100,000 youths ages 10-18.
- In 2023 the suicide rate was 8.97 per 100,000 youths ages 10-18.
Explore the Colorado Suicide Fatality Data Dashboard
Priority populations
The Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) recommends that Colorado communities implement tailored comprehensive suicide prevention strategies that support each of OSP’s priority populations.
Youth
0-18 years old
Young adults
19-24 years old
Working-age adults
25-64 years old
Older adults
65+
Veterans
LGBTQIA2S+
Communities
BIPOC
Communities
High-risk
Industries
Rural
Communities
The Office of Suicide Prevention grounds its strategies in research that recognizes the systemic causes behind many kinds of injury and violence. OSP works alongside community partners to reduce suicidal despair, attempts, and deaths by identifying and implementing strategies that prioritize equity.
Priorities and programs
The Six Pillars of the Office of Suicide Prevention are:
Pillar 1
Connectedness
Pillar 2
Economic stability and supporters
Pillar 3
Education and awareness
Pillar 4
Access to safer suicide care
Pillar 5
Lethal means safety
Pillar 6
Postvention
In every Colorado County you will find the Office of Suicide Prevention's suicide prevention initiatives including:
- Collaborative partnerships and strategic suicide prevention plans for Colorado.
- Leading the Suicide Prevention Commission and its public workgroups.
- Funding highly impacted counties to create sustainable local infrastructure through the Colorado-National Collaborative (CNC) comprehensive suicide prevention initiative.
- Funding youth-specific programs, including suicide prevention school grantees, model school suicide prevention policies, and Sources of Strength.
- Operating the Veteran Strong and Man Therapy programs.
- Hosting Community Helper (formerly known as Gatekeeper) trainings, including:
- Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR)
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
- Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)
- LivingWorks Start
- Creating the Zero Suicide health systems quality improvement framework and the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) clinical framework.
- Establishing the Colorado Gun Shop Project and other lethal means safety initiatives
- Supporting the Follow-Up Project to support people after a suicide attempt or behavioral health crisis.
- Connecting suicidal youth to receive suicide-specific no-cost therapy at the Second Wind Fund.
- Improving data collection through the Suicide Death Investigation Form.
- Creating and offering coroner mini-grants to encourage utilization of the Suicide Death Investigation Form and to provide postvention resources.
- Providing guidance and support to the media in following safe reporting recommendations.
Colorado Suicide Prevention Commission
The Colorado Suicide Prevention Commission provides public, private, and nonprofit leadership and recommendations for suicide prevention efforts and serves in an advisory capacity to OSP. The 22 commissioners represent Coloradans with lived experience, those who work in suicide prevention organizations and programs, and those who come from communities and sectors that experience disproportionate impacts of suicide.
Contact
Email CDPHE_SuicidePrevention@state.co.us.
Learn more
Visit the Office of Suicide Prevention website to learn more.