Sister of man who lit himself on fire says mental health system failed him
Apr 6, 2018, 11:33 PM | Updated: 11:39 pm
KAYSVILLE, Utah — As six Kaysville police officers continue to heal Friday, the sister of the suicidal man, who caused the officers’ burns, says the mental health system has failed her brother.
“We’ve screamed from the top of the hills for help, and so has he,” Kayla Budge said.
Police say Tyler Ivison, 26, walked into a Kaysville gas station on Thursday, doused himself in gasoline, and ignited himself. The officers who tried to stop him from sparking the lighter were burned in the incident.
READ MORE: Burned Kaysville officer, rescued man remain hospitalized
Budge says Ivison suffers from bipolar schizophrenia and has attempted suicide four times, but he does not remember the episodes afterward. Despite more and more frequent hospital visits over the past few years, her brother typically has been discharged in a matter of days and has not been able to get appropriate psychiatric care and counseling, she said.
She said this incident could have been avoided if Ivison received the help his family was begging doctors for.
“We’ve been on the frontline telling them (doctors), he needs more support, he needs more help,” Budge said.
Suicide Prevention Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or exhibiting warning signs, KSL encourages you to call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Crisis Hotlines
Utah County Crisis Line: 801-226-4433
Salt Lake County/UNI Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
Wasatch Mental Health Crisis Line: 801-373-7393
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386
Online Resources
NAMI Utah: namiut.org
Utah Chapter-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsp.org/chapter/afsp-utah/
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: suicidepreventionlifeline.org