Governor Mark Gordon announced to the Casper Rotary Club on Monday that Wyoming is advancing its systemic approach to mental health care reform. 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

Governor Gordon highlighted the widespread impact of  behavioral health challenges in Wyoming, noting the tragic frequency of deaths by suicide. “Our work is far from complete — we must come together in our homes, our schools, our faith-based communities, businesses, and clubs — to make it clear, it’s okay not to be okay,” Governor Gordon said.

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 suicidology findings.

The primary objective is to reduce suicide risk through strength-based, culturally adaptive education, empowerment, and community engagement. This is not a one-size-fits-all program. It is tailored to meet the unique cultural values and needs of each community it serves.

Governor Gordon is finalizing plans for a third Mental Health Summit in early October, following the success of the 2022 and 2023 events.