From KUNC radio (northern Colorado):  Mountain west states – including Colorado – have higher suicide rates compared to the rest of the country. In January, Weld County reported 49 suicide deaths in 2013, marking a 10 year high.

Crafting a local suicide prevention campaign can be very difficult though, if you don’t know who is the most at risk.

In Weld County, Health Department Director Dr. Mark Wallace only knows that men, between the ages 45 and 64 are statistically the most likely to commit suicide, a little over half the time using a fire arm. Wallace said having ready access to the information on the death certificates that are housed just down the hall from his office could help.

“We would be able to be more responsive I think in understanding some of the issues around suicide if we were able to go in and take a look at those suicides and maybe contribute back some of that information,” Wallace said.

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