Recent News

The American Psychiatric Association's Health Minds Monthly Poll found that 86% of pet owners say their pets have a mostly positive impact on their mental health.   Click here to read the full article.

CDC released the latest provisional estimates for suicide deaths in the United States in 2022. After declining in 2019 and 2020, suicide deaths increased approximately 5% in the United States in 2021. The provisional estimates released indicate that suicide deaths further increased in 2022, rising from 48,183 deaths in 2021 to an estimated 49,449 deaths in […]

"About five minutes into his Montana Football Hall of Fame induction speech, Dane Fletcher took an unexpected turn. “Tonight, I’m going to talk about my dark times,” Fletcher told the Billings Hotel and Convention Center crowd on June 25, 2022.  “Everybody kind of went, ‘What?’” said Montana Football HOF chairman Rick Halmes. “It really got […]

"Indigenous men face unique mental health challenges. This week, they're invited to open up about their struggles at a conference in Moab. It will be the second year Pete Sands with the Utah Navajo Health System has organized this first-of-its-kind conference. He said the focus this year will be on young adult men and their […]

"Children should be full of dreams and possibilities, yet many feel despair and desperation. Recent data show a 40 percent increase in youth suicide rates during the past decade. Death by suicide is the leading cause of death for ages 4-35. Four South Dakota counties (Oglala, Buffalo, Todd, Corson) have the highest 1 percent of […]

"Lawmakers found themselves once again debating the role of schools in addressing mental health during Wednesday’s education committee meeting in Casper, extending a debate that consumed the Wyoming Legislature during this year’s session. Those who spoke testified that K-12 schools play a key role in addressing mental health, serving as a point of access for […]

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has launched a program focusing on mental health among farmers. Statistics show farmers and ranchers are nearly two times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population. To provide that population with increased access to mental health services, the UDAF has announced its Ag Stress Assistance […]

"Nearly two years ago, pediatricians and psychologists from Children’s Hospital Colorado convened a press conference to declare a “state of emergency” for pediatric mental health in Colorado. Post-pandemic, the state’s young people were suffering from an unprecedented degree of mental health issues, doctors said, and there weren’t nearly enough resources to stem the gap. “Our […]

"Spring break is a time that students from elementary school through college all look forward to, but how does it impact their mental health? Christy Wilke, LCSW, a therapist at Dakota Family Services had a lot to say about what it can do for them, both positively and negatively. There are four positives that come from spring break: […]

"For the second consecutive year, Gov. Mark Gordon will host a summit bringing together those working on mental health in Wyoming. The one-day Governor’s Mental Health Summit will take place April 18 in Casper and build on the first ever state mental health conference Gordon held last fall. This year’s event will focus on Wyoming’s […]

In Lander, WY, Arapahoe Charter High School is taking notice of mental health. As a part of KOVE 1330 AM/107.7 FM's Coffee Time show, host Vince Tropea interviewed English teacher Heather Pasquinelli to get a better understanding of how the Healthy Minds Carnival can serve the mental health needs of her community members.    Take […]

KSLTV.com Karah Brackin "Prioritizing mental health is something that is essential. It’s one thing to know about the need to take care of oneself, and another to have the tools and community to put positive mental care practices into action. Thanks to Hope Squad, a Utah-based program, students in elementary through high school are developing […]

February is Black History Month, and it is an amazing time to take a step back and find all of the sacrifices that have been made by the Black American community in the fight for equality. There are many public figures that are Black Americans that we all may have heard of, including celebrity artists, […]

In their latest heath needs assessment, Yellowstone County in Montana says that "COVID-19 impacted residents financially, mentally and in avoiding health care." In their health needs assessment, which is done every three years, a major finding was that those that live at or beneath the poverty level are more at risk at not pursuing mental […]

Colorado is taking steps to ensure that murdered or missing Indigenous women are not being forgotten about. In this recent article from KSL news, more details are given on the steps that Colorado has taken to accomplish these goals.    Read more about the story by clicking here.   

"According to USDA's Census of Agriculture from 2017, women accounted for 36 percent of the country's Ag producers. In recognition of women in agriculture, a conference was hosted at the Montana Agricultural Center in Fort Benton. The conference was referred to as "StrongHer Together."   Organizers Stacy Bronec and Chandee Bomgardner said there are conferences like this […]

Our friends at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah have put together a fantastic resource that reminds all of us to not forget our mental health during the holiday season. In it, they give tips and tricks on how to do so in a healthy way.   You can access the […]

"November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor and celebrate Native peoples past and present for their rich and varied cultures, traditions, history, and societal contributions. Learn more about SAMHSA's efforts to partner with Native Americans, which includes Tribal Consultation and funding opportunities, to better assist Native citizens."    Visit SAMHSA's National […]

"Cassandra Big Crow was strapped to a gurney as paramedics slid her into the belly of a yellow and blue helicopter, its blades whisking the air. At 37 weeks pregnant, she was so thrilled to meet her little boy that she had painted her finger and toenails baby blue. But now, as life-saving equipment beeped […]

There's a lot working against rural citizens when they try to find mental health help. "Feelings of emotional isolation and aloneness can be barriers for people dealing with mental health issues. Those in Wyoming often can add physical isolation and distancing as hurdles to clear in getting treatment. In northwest Wyoming, people dealing with mental […]

A recent study done by Nice Rx has indicated that about 27% of Utahns have some type of mental health challenge. Utah is a state with a high percentage of its population living in rural areas even thought the state has very populated urban areas as well. There continues to be a stigma attached to […]

An ongoing focus area for us at the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center is to support the mental health needs of those living in rural areas. In these rural areas, access to crucial, life-saving resources can be next to impossible to get. In states like Montana and the other five states in Region […]

Details Suicide prevention is a topic that we focus on frequently here at the Mountain Plains MHTTC. Those that live in rural areas within our region struggle with accessibility to resources to help them battle mental and behavioral health issues. It is only through important efforts such as these that allow those folks to gain […]

As students across HHS Region 8 prepare to go back to school, they are experiencing a roller-coaster of emotions. Excitement, anticipation, happiness, and eagerness. However, included in those emotions are fear, loneliness, sadness, and isolation. School can wreak havoc on a student's mental health, and it is more important than ever to be mindful of […]