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El Paso County proclaims September 2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Month; local crisis resources highlighted
Summary
The commissioners court adopted a resolution recognizing September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and heard presentations from Emergence Health Network and NAMI El Paso about 988 and local crisis services.
El Paso County’s commissioners court voted Sept. 29 to adopt a resolution recognizing September 2025 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and heard local behavioral‑health partners describe crisis resources and outreach activities.
Commissioner David Stout introduced and read the resolution, which the court adopted by voice vote. The resolution notes national statistics on suicide, highlights that suicide is a leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 34 and lists national and local crisis contacts for El Paso residents.
Renee Uthau, chief of staff for Emergence Health Network, told the court that the local 988 crisis service is co‑located with the county’s 911 center so 911 and 988 call takers can coordinate responses. "One of the unique and really important things about 988 here in El Paso is that it is co‑located at the 911 center," Uthau said. Emergence operates a local crisis hotline that is one of five Texas call centers answering 988; the speaker said EHN and related services handled 34,000 calls in fiscal 2025.
Isidro (last name in transcript) from NAMI El Paso described local education, outreach and events including social media campaigns, vigils and the semicolon tattoo event that organizers used to spark conversations about suicide prevention. He said NAMI provides courses and presentations to middle and high school students across the county and invited commissioners to the NAMI Walks El Paso event scheduled for later in October.
The resolution adopted by the court lists crisis contact options including the national 988 lifeline and the local Emergence Health Network crisis line at (915) 779‑1800 and states the court’s support for awareness, education and behavioral‑health system improvements.
The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Stout and seconded by Commissioner (O'Gheen/O'Ghee in the transcript); the court recorded the motion as carried.
