Lyons Regional Library

In Colorado and throughout the nation there are growing and concerted public health efforts to reduce suicide and other preventable deaths. On the continuum of mental health care usage and suicide risk are those who have struggled with some form of criminal legal problem. This is a population that has an especially high risk of suicide. Those exiting the criminal justice system on probation have been shown to have significantly higher suicide rates...

Homicide is a significant public health concern that affects people of all backgrounds and circumstances, and demands continued attention in Colorado and across the country. Over the past decade, the homicide rate has decreased in the United States and in Colorado. Although there has been a decrease in homicide deaths year to year, the decline appears to be slowing, causing homicide to remain a target of public health prevention efforts.

Suicide is a critical public health concern that adversely affects a diverse population of Americans. The number of suicides has increased over the past decade for the United States and also in Colorado. In 2015, Colorado had the ninth highest suicide rate (19.5 deaths per 100,000 population) among all states. In 2015, suicide was the seventh leading cause of death in Colorado. From 2011 to 2015, the suicide deaths in Colorado outnumbered deaths...

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic or stressful experiences, such as abuse, which occur during childhood or adolescence. Existing research shows that these negative early life experiences have long-lasting effects on an individual's well-being. However, the burden of these experiences among Colorado adults was previously unknown. Results from the initial recruitment phase showed that ACEs are common, with nearly two-thirds of participants...

Year to year, homelessness continues to be a challenge facing the United States. It is estimated that on a given night in January 2016, 549,928 people were experiencing homelessness in the U.S. About 10,550 homeless individuals were located in Colorado, representing a 6 percent increase in the homeless population in Colorado from 2015. Not only are the homelessness rates rising in Colorado, but morbidity and mortality rates have also been shown to...

Excessive alcohol use contributes to an estimated 1,633 deaths annually in Colorado, which is an average of almost five deaths each day. A portion of these alcohol-attributable deaths include deaths by suicide. Research has shown that excessive alcohol use is associated with increased suicide risk. Suicide continues to be a critical public health concern both nationally and in Colorado.

Discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, cause, and treatment of bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, a mental illness that causes a person's moods to swing from happy and energized to extremely sad.