You don't need to be a news expert to recognize the truth - that Utah is experiencing an epidemic of depression, suicide, and prescription opioid misuse. But here's one other truth. All of us can learn to take positive action to help make certain these issues don't devastate the lives of our families, friends and loved ones. That's why our stations are joining together to bring you information and resources you need to fight these very real but solvable problems. Because a Healthy Mind Matters.
mother and daughter sit at a table...

Eating Disorders Awareness Week: How to recognize the signs and get help

Carrie Jackson said when the pandemic hit, her daughter, Emma, started showing signs of an eating disorder.
Lauren Hess has struggled with depression since she was a teen. Seasonal Affective Disorder affects...

‘You can actually find joy again’: Why Utahns are at higher risk for seasonal affective disorder, how to cope

Seasonal affective disorder affects about 10% of Utahns, according to a Huntsman Mental Health Institute doctor.
(Safe2Feel)...

Free SAFE2FEEL conference teaches coping, confidence-building skills

Mental health experts say there’s an epidemic of loneliness. 
SafeUT app...

SafeUT app sees ‘record-breaking’ use in 2023

The SafeUT app saw "record-breaking" utilization during 2023, program leaders and partners announced Tuesday.
Kelsey (left) and Wendy Fayle (right) holding up a NAMI sign. (Courtesy: Wendy Fayle)...

NAMI Utah offers free classes for parents and adolescents dealing with mental illness

NAMI is offering free classes for both parents and adolescents that are dealing with mental illness.
YCC text messages...

YCC Family Crisis Center in Ogden now accepting text messages

It is certainly not the easiest job out there. Amber Paaso will be the first to tell you she's burned out of doing it in the past. 
Dexton Obray was only 14 years old when he took his life in Monroe, Utah in October 2022. (Obray Fa...

7th grade football player spreads mental health awareness after losing teammate to suicide

A 12-year-old boy is working to raise awareness after his football teammate died by suicide in October 2022.
Aron and Joe Tuia'ana (KSL TV)...

Utah man’s mission began on an overpass

Men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide. For Joe Tuia'ana that’s more than a statistic.
Branson Callor...

Huntsman Mental Health Institute leads world’s largest genetic study of suicide

Researchers at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute are leading the largest genetic study of suicide in the world. Twenty-two countries are participating in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC).
Studio owner Sterling Brown has created a safe and creative space for artists...

How a Cache Valley art studio is using clay to heal

A new art studio in Cache Valley promotes inclusivity, safe spaces, creative learning and it's using clay to heal.
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How to help kids cope with anxiety

The start of a school year can be an exciting time for kids, but some may feel a little anxious about it. Here's how to help.
Dawn Wilson and Lynze Preeze...

Family pushes for suicide prevention in face of difficult tragedy

A Cache Valley family is trying to spread the word about help for suicide prevention and bring some positive change from their own horrible tragedy.
Kaden Smiling...

Improved diagnostics, treatments increase autism diagnoses in Utah minorities

For years, research found white children had the highest rates of autism, but, for the first time, diagnoses among historically under-served populations in Utah are now comparable with white children.
988 Crisis hotline...

Despite reports of unanswered calls, many Utahns get help through 988

Almost 9% of calls made to 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline in Utah, went unanswered according to data from April and May of this year.
Mother with baby...

Utah mom says mothers need to reach out for help with depression, anxiety

About 15 to 20 percent of women experience more severe symptoms of depression or anxiety during or after pregnancy than the average woman.
Fredricksens at Warrior Rizen Ranch...

Utah Ranch helps veteran families recover and reconnect

A military family in Morgan County is helping veteran families from around the country recover and reconnect after enduring PTSD, and injuries while in a war zone.
gun on a desk, magazine out, with bullets...

Gun deaths hit record high in the US; most in Utah are suicides  

Gun deaths in the United States hit a record high in the first year of the pandemic. Now a new report shows they climbed even higher in 2021.  
Mike Berg, former police chief of Parowan, has been in law enforcement for 16 years. He’s picture...

The Quiet Crisis: How first responders will help fill the trauma-informed therapy gap

Tens of thousands of first responders put their life and emotional wellbeing on the line every day in Utah. But who cares for them when their own mental wellbeing is on the line?
Jay Evans...

LGBTQ+ Teens tend to suffer more from mental illness and suicide ideation, study shows

Teens across the United States are struggling more and more with mental illness and suicide ideation, especially LGBTQ+ teens.
FILE: Teen campers. (KSL TV)...

Supporting minority teens in Utah: Overcoming challenges and finding solutions

Being a teenager can be challenging enough but imagine facing those difficulties as a minority in a predominantly white community. A recent student risk assessment survey found Black and Hispanic students are more likely to feel unsafe at school.
(KSL TV)...

Teens in Crisis: The concerning increase in sadness, depression among teen girls

According to new data from the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey, teen girls are facing higher levels of sadness and hopelessness than ever before. It's a trend concerning Utah doctors and many Utah families.
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Jordan School District prioritizing mental health for students and staff

In 2021, 3-in-5 teen girls said they felt persistently sad and hopeless, and more than 1-in-4 girls reported they seriously considered attempting suicide -- up significantly since 2011.
(SafeUT)...

Utah drops out of top 10 states for highest suicide rate, but experts remain concerned

For the first time in years, Utah is not in the top 10 states for the highest suicide rate. While some may be quick to applaud the improvement, Utah's suicide experts share why they remain concerned.

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