Governor Gordon Outlines Next Steps in Mental Health Initiative

Governor Mark Gordon announced at Monday’s Rotary Club meeting in Casper that Wyoming is advancing its systemic approach to mental health care reform in the state. The WY We Care initiative announced earlier this year, is the culmination of extensive collaboration among all three branches of state government, local community teams, and private sector providers. This initiative aims to reduce Wyoming’s suicide rate, improve access to behavioral health services, and strengthen the state’s behavioral healthcare workforce.

According to the Gordon’s Office, the next phase of the Governor’s suicide prevention efforts is now in motion. Under the WY We Care initiative, select counties will participate in an intensive community suicide prevention program through the PROSPER Project.

PROSPER represents over five decades of research into optimal strategies for suicide prevention and intervention, dynamically integrating contemporary suicido-logy findings.  The primary objective is to reduce suicide risk through strength-based, culturally adaptive education, empowerment, and community engagement. The program is tailored to meet the unique cultural values and needs of each community it serves. Gordon is finalizing plans for a third Mental Health Summit in early October, following the success of the 2022 and 2023 events.