Salt Lake County proclaims September 2026 National Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month

Treasurer Sheila Srivastava read a proclamation recognizing September 2026 as National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month and invited elected officials and the public to sign and participate in an Out of the Darkness community walk. Two family members shared personal accounts: one described a son who attempted suicide and later stabilized with treatment, the other described losing a child to suicide and called for broader access to mental‑health care and community support.

The proclamation cited national and state statistics presented in the reading, encouraged open conversations about mental health, emphasized the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline and named local partners including school counselors, first responders and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention — Utah chapter. Council members praised the speakers and urged residents to ask direct questions of those who appear to be struggling and to use local resources.