By Tricia Stortz

Special to The Gazette

Routt and Moffat counties have been going through a difficult period. Over the past few years, residents have lost neighbors, coworkers and longtime community members to suicide, losses that hit hard in places where people often know one another by first name.

Last year, 10 people in Routt County and nine in Moffat County died by suicide, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. These numbers indicate that both counties have had persistently high suicide rates in recent years. And, since the start of this year, Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide (REPS), a Steamboat Springs-based nonprofit that provides crisis support and prevention services, has confirmed 14 more deaths across the two counties.

The rising toll has pushed local organizations to work more closely together, sharing information and resources to support residents in crisis and families affected by suicide.

For Tom Gangel, community outreach director of Health Solutions West, which provides mobile crisis response in both counties, the pattern has been deeply unsettling. Some deaths followed long periods of struggle, he said, but many seemed to occur during moments of acute stress or overwhelming loss.

“It’s not always a long, grinding depression,” Gangel said. “Sometimes it’s a moment when everything feels like it’s stacking up … financial strain, relationship stress, a job loss … and people can’t see a way through.”

In a region with limited behavioral health resources, economic pressures and strong norms around self-reliance, those moments can be especially dangerous. Gangel added that in a small, tight-knit county, a single death can ripple widely, touching those who may already be struggling and, in some cases, influencing how others cope with their own distress.

To respond, local organizations have been meeting monthly to review trends, coordinate responses, and make sure help reaches people when it’s needed. Some of the participants include Health Solutions West, UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, Northwest Colorado Health, REPS, The Health Partnership, schools and law enforcement. Together, they work to make sure counseling, crisis response and community outreach efforts are connected, rather than operating in isolation.

Counseling, crisis support, education

One of the central partners in that work is REPS, which local organizations see as a key resource. The group provides free counseling, crisis support, and community education, with a focus on reducing stigma around open conversations about mental health and suicide. So far in 2025, REPS has funded more than 800 counseling sessions for over 300 clients through 92 local providers according to internal data.

“We’re a rural community, so access to resources like counseling can be limited,” said Caley Morawski, REPS’ community impact and development manager. “That’s why our services are open to anyone who needs them.”

Local clinics have been relying on that support. Dr. Lilia Luna, clinical psychologist and behavioral health director at Northwest Colorado Health, said REPS funding allows providers to act quickly when someone shows up in crisis, especially if they’re uninsured.

“One thing we’ve done to increase access is really strengthen our relationship with REPS, because they pay for five sessions of counseling,” Luna said. “Even yesterday, I saw somebody in crisis who was uninsured and couldn’t afford care. But we were able to access REPS’ funding for that first session because of the workflows we’ve created.”

She added that the partnership has opened care to “so many people” that some of Northwest’s clinics eventually had to cap referrals each month. “There isn’t a steady enough funding stream for REPS to meet demand,” Luna said. Assistance is reserved for those who are uninsured and unable to access care otherwise.

“If I had a hope and a dream around funding for REPS, it’s that there would be a never-ending funding stream,” she added. “Addressing finances as a barrier would open access to behavioral health services in our community and directly help reduce the suicide rates we’re seeing here.”

Volunteers, community training

Beyond counseling, REPS also runs a Suicide Prevention Advocate program that connects trained volunteers with people experiencing a wide range of crises. These can include, but are not limited to, suicidality; financial or relationship stress; housing instability; seasonal struggles; substance-use concerns; and support for those grieving a suicide loss. Volunteers reach out in person, by phone, or via text to provide support during difficult moments.

Since July, the program has connected with more than 40 people, and calls continue to come in regularly.

The organization also offers community trainings, like Talk Saves Lives, which guide residents through how to talk about suicide and recognize when someone might need extra support.

“The training breaks down a situation that can normally make our brains panic,” Morawski said. “It gives people tools to ask questions, listen while taking a deep breath, and know when to call in extra professional help.”

Strength in community

Despite challenges, from limited resources to lingering stigma, Morawski said she sees the community stepping forward.

“I think our community has a ton of strengths,” she said. “After last year and the number of losses we experienced, we really saw people come together. The engagement in our trainings, the questions people ask, and their desire to learn from our programs has been incredible. People take what they learn home and have conversations with their loved ones. Seeing people affected by these losses connecting, supporting one another, and beginning to heal together has been really powerful.”

Across both counties, partnerships between organizations, volunteers, and residents are helping make sure people in crisis aren’t facing their struggles alone. While the work is ongoing, these local efforts provide a vital lifeline in a region where access to mental health support has historically been limited.