We thank our corporate partner Great Western Petroleum for its support of our suicide prevention fund.

“The mental health of the communities in which we work and operate is important to all of us at Great Western. The challenges we have all faced in recent times have led to mental health impacts, and we are raising awareness for suicide prevention,” said Susan Fakharzadeh, vice president of corporate communications and government affairs for Great Western. “We value the opportunity to help support the efforts of UCHealth in our communities and invest in top-quality health care.”

With this gift from Great Western, UCHealth will be able to analyze and address some of the risks and prevention tactics through programs, outreach and medical studies.

Initially, Great Western’s donation will begin with the Zero Suicide Implementation Focus Group. UCHealth’s team of mental wellness professionals created a tool to conduct focus groups and interviews to collect input from people who have had direct experience with suicide-related treatment, such as the patient themselves, family members and caregivers. This insight will allow for better treatments and the ability to implement changes for suicide prevention policies and practices.

“We’re incredibly thankful for this gift and the support for suicide prevention,” said Erica Siemers, regional executive director of UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation. “Great Western’s donation will go beyond the focus group and into future prevention efforts that will help UCHealth combat Colorado’s high suicide rates.”

For more information about a northern Colorado coalition to end suicide, please visit: uchealth.org/today/imagine-zero-suicides.