Editor’s note • This article discusses suicide. If you or people you know are at risk of self-harm, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 24-hour support.

In September, two stories unfold side by side. One is the story of lives cut short by suicide; the other is the story of people fighting their way back through recovery from substance use disorder. Taken together, they expose a hard truth: Too many individuals are impacted by addiction, suicide and untreated behavioral health conditions — and too few live in communities that make help easy to find.

In Utah, this reality is especially acute. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death, and many individuals — particularly youth and rural residents — continue to face barriers to timely care. Those barriers span the state, with more than 2.7 million Utah residents living in communities without enough mental health professionals. At the same time, substance use disorder continues to rise, often intersecting with mental health conditions and significantly increasing suicide risk. Individuals with alcohol use disorder have a suicide risk up to 10 times higher than that of the general population.

As the Chief Executive Officer at Valley Behavioral Health, I see these realities every day. Many of our clients need support for both substance use disorders and other behavioral health conditions — situations that can rarely be resolved with a single appointment or diagnosis.

Yet it takes someone seeking help to accept help. And for too many Utahns, stigma, fear and past negative experiences with the healthcare system keep residents from taking the initiative to get the help they need.

Recovery-ready communities are built to close that gap.

While awareness is growing, suicide prevention and substance use disorder treatment starts in the community at local events, in conversations and through partnerships that connect people to care before they ever reach a breaking point.

Central to this work are strong partnerships. No single organization can address behavioral health outcomes alone. Progress depends on sustained collaborations with health plans, providers, community organizations, local leaders and the people whose lives these systems are meant to support.

Valley Behavioral Health’s recent resource fair with Molina Healthcare of Utah and local partners offered one example of this approach. Families were able to access mental health education, recovery support, local resources and basic necessities in a setting designed for connection rather than crisis. One attendee shared that what he needed most was someone to talk to. That interaction may seem small, but it reflects what prevention in practice can look like: meeting people where they are, listening without judgment and helping them take the next step toward seeking the care they need.

A recent Utah youth suicide study reinforces the urgency of this work. Even when young people have friends and people they can rely on, many still report feeling unseen, isolated or as though they don’t belong in their communities.

Communities do not have to build these connections from nothing. Utah already has behavioral health providers, recovery organizations, crisis services, schools, health plans, local leaders and community groups doing important work. The opportunity is to foster collaboration and build bridges among them so that support does not depend on whether someone happens to know the right number to call or the right door to open at the right time.

This is the essence of a recovery-ready community, where support is visible, trusted and within reach.

Every conversation started, every connection made and every resource shared in a community setting has the potential to change a life trajectory. Suicide prevention begins when someone feels seen, supported and connected to care. As Utah continues to grapple with high suicide rates, it is critical to not only invest in clinical services, but also in community-based partnerships that make those services accessible in the first place.

Public-private collaborations are not just additive; they are foundational to an effective prevention-focused system of care. By continuing to invest in partnerships that bring services into the community, we can ensure more Utahns get the help they need, when and where they need it most.

Jared Sanford is the president and CEO of Valley Behavioral Health, Utah’s largest community behavioral health provider, where he leads efforts to expand access to high-quality mental health, substance use disorder, housing and supportive services.

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