The Colorado-National Collaborative: Centering Equity in the Comprehesive Approach to Suicide Prevention

Body of Abstract: This conference session will focus on state and county-led suicide prevention strategies that center equity and lived experience for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult populations through the Colorado-National Collaborative (CNC). The CNC supports comprehensive suicide prevention efforts in 15 counties, encompassing urban, rural, and frontier communities, that have high counts and/or rates of suicide fatalities.

The Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) will present on the equity-focused strategies that the OSP and CNC counties implement for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult communities. The presenters will provide a high-level overview of suicide despair, attempt, and fatality data among BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult Coloradans; describe how centering equity is crucial to addressing disparities and reducing suicidal despair, attempts, and fatalities; describe the OSP's state-level strategies and partnerships to address disparities impacting these three communities; describe the CNC model and participating counties; and share examples of how the CNC is implementing upstream suicide prevention and postvention strategies to reach BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult communities. Presenters will facilitate a discussion to engage other session attendees to learn more about how other states and partners are implementing strategies to support equity for these specific populations in their own local communities.

Based on data from the Colorado Violent Death Reporting System [1], Colorado’s age-adjusted suicide rate was 20.93 per 100,000 people in 2023. Aging Adults (age 65+) experienced a suicide rate of 24.30 per 100,000 people in 2023 and Aging Adult males in particular have substantially high suicide rates when compared across all age and sex groups, at 42.59 per 100,000 people [1]. For LGBTQ+ populations, the OSP relies on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) data. In 2023 the BRFSS found that 22% of LGBTQ+ adults had experienced thoughts of suicide, while 5% of straight adults had experienced thoughts of suicide [2]. The 2023 HKCS survey also found that LGBTQ+ youth consistently experienced greater rates of suicidal thoughts compared to cisgender and straight youth, and that these were consistently observed within race identities [3]. White, multi-racial, Asian, Hispanic/Latinx, and Middle Eastern/North African youth all showed statistically significant disparities, with LGBTQ+ youth experiencing greater rates of suicidal despair than their cisgender and straight peers [3].

Through the CNC, local backbone organizations aim to reduce suicide by implementing comprehensive strategies across the suicide prevention and postvention continuum to increase connectedness, education and awareness, access to economic supports, access to safer suicide care, lethal means safety, and postvention activities, which reduce suicide risk and promote healing after a suicide. Each participating county implements equity strategies that address priority populations with disproportionately high suicide rates including Aging Adults (65+ years), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning persons (LGBTQ+) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. These strategies have included supporting local Pride events, hosting community helper trainings in Spanish, translating 988 materials into Indigenous languages, economic support for migrant populations, and connectedness activities for Aging Adults. The presenters will share how OSP has partnered with CNC counties to refine their approaches to center equity for priority demographics and how backbone agencies have successfully partnered with members of these populations to meet local needs.

Racism and other forms of social inequality are public health crises. Racism and discrimination can lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes, including increased risk for suicide. Centering equity and inclusivity is therefore crucial to addressing disparities and reduce suicidal despair, attempts, and fatalities amongst communities and populations who often experience these inequities. The CNC model approaches strategies with a lens of equity and anti-racism with the goal of building a foundation for sustainable equity-focused strategies within local communities, including and centering individuals who have lived experiences in intersecting social identities, and creating safe, inclusive spaces for all Coloradans.

Learning Objectives:

• Define suicide-related disparities impacting BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult populations across Colorado.
• Describe challenges implementing comprehensive suicide prevention efforts among BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult populations.
• Explain how centering equity is crucial to address disparities and reduce suicidal despair, attempts, and fatalities.
• Identify innovative strategies to support BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Aging Adult populations through the implementation of comprehensive suicide prevention strategies.