WYOMING – Over the last month of tragedy in Wyoming, it has been said, “We are Wyoming. We are strong,” as though Wyoming and her nearly 600,000 residents are made of steel as communities watched tragedies unfold, too close to home. 

Some of Wyoming’s most admired features would often be noted as her wide-open spaces, cotton-candy clouds, tight-knit communities and a sense of rural morals, values and ethics. 

Often, it’s been noted one of the disadvantages of living on the prairie is the lack of resources. Most Wyomingites are busy and hardworking, often making travel to a nearby city impossible. Wyomingites are also well known for their strength and perseverance, but Wyoming and her people still hurt. 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics Suicide Mortality report, in the year 2022, Wyoming recorded 155 suicide deaths. Furthermore, the Wyoming Department of Health reported between the years 2010 and 2020, 1,623 people in Wyoming died by suicide. Making up 15.4% or 250 reports, were Wyoming children and young adults, ages 10-24. 

According to the department’s report, Wyoming adolescent and young adult suicide rates have increased over the past decade and the rate continues to climb, exceeding the United States rate for those 10-24 years of age. 

The department collected data with three separate age groups: 10–14-year-olds, 15–19-year-olds and 20–24-year-olds, comparing Wyoming’s numbers to the suicide rate for the specific age group with the United States’ rates. 

“In Wyoming and the United States, the suicide rate was highest among 20–24-year-olds. In Wyoming, the suicide rates for all three ages were higher than the United States rate,” the Wyoming Department of Health noted. “The Wyoming suicide rate among 15–19-year-olds was more than double the United States rate for that age group.”

A recent partnership between the Cathedral Home for Children in Laramie and the global nonprofit organization, Crisis Text Line, has kicked off to offer support when, where and how Wyomingites need it most. 

According to Caroline Elik, a member of the Cathedral Home development team, the new program, WYO Text Line, is a free, 24/7, anonymous text-based support service which provides immediate mental health assistance and crisis intervention for Wyoming residents. 

“We (Cathedral Home) have been established in Wyoming, in Laramie since 1910. We help with programming for kids and families, specifically around mental health, social health,” Rachal LeBeau, Cathedral Home Director of Advancement said. “[It] looks a number of different ways. We have crisis services for youth. We have family care services, school, all these different things. But something that we’ve really prioritized over the last few years is getting options for mental health support to people who either can’t get to a counselor or are hesitant to or feel like, you know, what if someone finds out about this? So, we’ve been working to start this partnership with Crisis Text Line. They are a national nonprofit. And just as a way for us to really spread the word to people, like, you’re deserving of help. And it can be scary to ask. But maybe if you start with a text message, it feels less intimidating,” LeBeau said.

That’s right, mental health services are now available for every resident of Wyoming, with a simple text message right from your cell phone.

“The text line provides a friendly, accessible alternative to the 988-suicide hotline for those who may not be in immediate crisis, but who still need support - whether it’s a new mom feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities, a teen having trouble fitting in at school, a rancher facing financial challenges, or anyone in between. No struggle is too big or too small to reach out to the text line about,” Elik explained. “The WYO Text Line is ideal for those who live in rural areas, or folks who live in a community where there’s a shortage of mental health care providers. The text line is staffed by trained crisis counselors who are often able to help individuals connect with resources in their area, such as food banks, domestic violence shelters, etc.”

As statistics indicate, suicide rates will likely continue to incline until communities step up and help each other.

“I think, unfortunately, and this has always been the case, but it’s going to be up to communities and nonprofits to take care of one another,” LeBeau expressed. “Like I said, that’s always happened. But if feels more and more like we need to really dig into those communities where we just look out for each other because we can’t really assume that this over the top whatever is doing it for us, right?  We can’t assume that the government is going to take care of us or we can’t assume that things we’ve once had access to, we always will,” LeBeau said. “So, just really trying to find a way to get people what they need, despite what decision makers are doing.”

According to LeBeau, when the text is sent, a live person replies.

“They’re all over the United States. So, it is possible that you’re connected to someone in Wyoming, but it could be anybody. Folks go through a process. They elect to become a volunteer crisis counselor,” LeBeau explained. “They go through about 40 hours of training with Crisis Text Line. The entirety of their time responding to folks is overseen and guided by licensed counselors, clinical social workers, et cetera.” 

“There’s a couple of layers of insulation in terms of really making sure that things are being done well and people are being cared for appropriately. It’s not going to be anywhere where anyone knows that it’s you (texting),” LeBeau added. 

LeBeau noted the volunteers are not health care professional but most of them have a special connection to mental health and suicide prevention which might possibly provide better access to Wyoming citizens.

“I think, especially now, there is a lot of resistance to the idea that someone is ‘an expert’ in something that where they don’t know my life. I think there’s a lot of hesitancy to trust health professionals or researchers, things like that,” LeBeau explained. “A really cool piece of this is these are everyday people who likely have the idea or the feeling of I know what it’s like to feel like there’s nobody to talk to. This is the place where I can put my, maybe my lack of, how do I help my neighbor?” LeBeau asked. “I can go through this training. I can tell the text line when I’m available and I can be there for somebody when they need it.” 

LeBeau noted the volunteers can always consult other professionals if they extra assistance. She also expresses the availability of services may also help Wyoming citizens seek additional help outside of the crisis line. 

“I think it’s a really good way to dip your toe into asking for help because, to call the doctor’s office and ask for an appointment and then you have to tell them why. Then there’s all of these opportunities for you to sort of back out because it feels scary or too big or, what is this going to mean?” LeBeau said. “Whereas, you send a text and you don’t ever have to talk to that person again if you don’t want or you could say, ‘Geez, that felt really good to have that conversation.’ Maybe that’s something I would like to do more.”

LeBeau also explained the services are available to anyone with an internet connection as well. 

“It’s also available through a web browser platform or through WhatsApp. If you can get onto a computer at the public library or at school, or as long as you can get on the internet somehow, somewhere, you can utilize it,” LeBeau explained. “I think it also really lends itself to or can help us further the conversation about connectivity in rural areas. Just because it’s far out, doesn’t mean that these folks don’t deserve access to – they may not want it but – to high-speed data or internet or whatever that allows them to get health needs met.”

“I think that’s something, too, that we hope to really bridge between, that other sector of, ‘Hey, this is why it is really important to invest this connectivity in these smaller areas,’ places that are really spread out, like Wyoming,” LeBeau noted. “I mean so that anyone who needs something can have just as good of a chance of getting it as someone who lives somewhere with internet around every corner.”

According to LeBeau, the families and loved ones left behind as a result of suicide often place blame wherever they can to cope with their unimaginable pain and grief. 

“I think that a lot of times we, without meaning to, we blame that person for not reaching out. ‘Why didn’t they tell somebody? Why didn’t they, whatever? All these resources exist, how come they didn’t use it?’” LeBeau explained. “I think somehow, trying to shift the way we think that to, as a community, what could we have done to take care of our neighbor or our friend or whatever, rather than putting it on that individual person? If you’re already at a really low point or vulnerable point or a place where you don’t believe that there’s any hope or solutions for you to have to that 10 steps to ask for help, it might be more than you can do,” LeBeau said.

According to Elik, WYO Text Line also has the potential to significantly impact every county in Wyoming in many ways. Not only will the text line provide support for Wyomingites, but the line also helps gather non-identifying data. 

“One of the text line’s major benefits is that it gathers valuable, non-identifying data – including users’ age, general location, and common topics of concern, such as relationship challenges or school-related stress. Once compiled, we’ll be able to share this information with legislators, nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare providers, schools, etc., on a regular basis, helping them understand key areas of need across the entire state,” Elik said. 

“This initiative has the potential to do so much good for our state, and we want to make sure everyone in Wyoming knows about this critical resource,” Elik concluded. 

LeBeau hopes to change the way society looks at suicide noting prevention is a community effort. 

“I would really like for us to help change the way people think about suicide and the way people think about that person just needs more mental toughness or that person should have reached out and instead, it’s on all of us,” LeBeau added. “What more can we be doing to make it easier for people to ask for help, to make it feel less lonely or scary or difficult? Something like a text line it doesn’t require a lot of you so I think that’s a really valuable piece of it.” 

According to information from Crisis Text Line, in their ten years of volunteerism, 9 million text conversations have assisted people in a crisis. The organization partners with 246 different nonprofits, government, school, universities and corporation in the United States. Text line volunteers have donated three million hours of crisis intervention. Currently, over 8,000,000 middle and high school students have the text line printed on the back of their student IDs – providing quick access to crisis counselors a moment’s notice, helping them work through their stress, anger or feelings of hopelessness. 

If you or a loved one is feeling hopeless or need someone to talk to, text WYO to 741741 or visit https://www.cathedralhome.org/741.