WEDNESDAY, May 13, 2026 |
Photo – Carbon County Public Health – Courtesy Carbon County Public Health
County officials discussed mental health services available to Carbon County residents.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which promotes understanding of mental health, reduces stigma, and encourages people to seek support and treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wyoming ranks third‑highest in the nation for suicide deaths, exceeded only by Montana and Alaska.
During the May 5th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Carbon County Prevention Network Community Engagement Consultant Tracy Young explained how her organization supports local mental‑health efforts by focusing on substance‑abuse and suicide prevention.
In the Platte Valley, Young said Sources of Strength offers community‑based positive mental‑health strategies. Although the program is designed to run through schools, Young said Carbon County Public Health Community Prevention Specialist Rachel Swanson launched it independently. After seeing its effectiveness, district officials now want to participate.
Young added that the Carbon County Higher Education Center is considering bringing Sources of Strength programming to the Rawlins community.
To further bolster Carbon County’s mental health offerings, Community Engagement Consultant Young said the county’s law enforcement agencies are preparing to undergo crisis intervention training.
Young said the training not only provides law‑enforcement officers with the tools to respond during a crisis but also gives mental health providers insight into how officers handle those situations in the field. The 40‑hour class will also teach officers how to manage their own mental health.
The Carbon County Prevention Network also participates in a family management program with Headstart and the Higher Education Center. Young said the 12-week class teaches families how to provide healthy meals on a budget.
Young said the meal preparation classes will also be offered in Spanish.
Community Engagement Consultant Young said the Carbon County Prevention Network provides a variety of suicide‑prevention training based on local needs, including a new gun‑safety component.
Young concluded by saying Prevention Network also operates a connect team that offers mental‑health resources to communities following a traumatic death.
Commissioner John Johnson thanked Young for addressing mental health locally. He said the topic rarely receives the attention it deserves statewide.
Sheriff Alex Bakken said mental health is especially important to those in law enforcement. Sheriff Bakken said officers often overlook their own well‑being and encouraged them, and anyone suffering from a mental health crisis, to seek help.
For more information about local mental health services, contact Carbon County Public Health at 328‑2607.
