The National Strategy of Suicide Prevention Grant was recently awarded to two agencies in the State of Utah with Four Corners Community Behavioral Health as one of the lucky recipients. This is a three-year grant that is focused on preventing suicide among adults ages 25 years or older. FCCBH appointed Cacilia Jensen as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator of the new program. She is a hometown girl who recently returned to the area with her family and her timing couldn’t have been better.

“I fell into the mental health realm a couple of years ago and I’m honored, really honored to do this position in our community and to really roll out this program. I really want to do a good job. I really want to help the people in our community. Try to change and shift our way of thinking, that mental health is really something that we need to think about and make a priority,” she said. The passion she has for this serious subject is a very personal one, she lost her mom to suicide ten years ago and wishes that this type of program had been in place back then.

The expectation of the new program is to fill in the holes as Jensen explains, “Specifically my position is going to be a link for individuals that are having suicidal thoughts or having mental health crisis I’m going to be able to be a link for them to connect with resources in the community and provide rapid follow-up services for them after they have been discharged from the emergency room. So that’s kind of where we are starting this program.”

Castleview Hospital is on board with the program and looking forward to implementing new procedures for patients that are in need of mental health services. “We do want to as were kind of working with the hospital and then you know, down the road branching out to primary care providers, we do want to think about standability. So, meeting with the hospital and primary care talking about when this grant is over, how can we implement this program into your organization,” said Jensen. Out of the individuals that completed suicide, half of them had seen their primary care physician 30 days prior. It’s because of this statistic that it is important for a mental health screening and assessment tool be used in the primary care setting to help those individuals before they are in crisis.

Any individuals that are in need of resources or seeking help for a family member or friend that meets the age criteria of the program can contact Jensen at (435) 637-7200, ext. 310 or email her at cjensen@fourcorners.ws

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOUR CORNERS COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL