The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 26, 2025 proclaimed Aug. 31, 2025 as International Overdose Awareness Day and declared September 2025 as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month in Jefferson County. Commissioners and public-health partners said the proclamations are intended to raise awareness, reduce stigma and direct residents to prevention and treatment resources.

The proclamations were presented during the board’s public meeting by Commissioner Leslie Dahlkemper, who noted the county’s coordination with the Gateway to the Rockies Opioid Council (GROC) and said about $6 million in regionally organized initiatives are targeting prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction in Jefferson, Clear Creek and Gilpin counties. “GROC and Jefferson County are working on several initiatives totaling over $6,000,000 aimed at prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction efforts,” Dahlkemper said.

Commissioner Zenzinger described overdose as a preventable public-health emergency and urged the community to reduce stigma and increase access to health care, housing and social services. Zenzinger said wider access to the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone (Narcan) and education about recognizing overdose signs can save lives. Commissioner Andy Kerr read a statement from Jefferson County Coroner Annette Cannon noting that in 2024 the coroner’s office investigated 147 deaths related to drug intoxication and that many deaths involved multiple substances.

Representatives of local behavioral-health organizations accepted the proclamations. Dr. Chelsea Shore Miller, identified as the regional project manager for GROC, was recognized by the board. Christy Bollin of Jefferson Center for Mental Health and Carolyn McDonald, program director of Second Wind Fund, addressed the board and described services their organizations provide, including counseling and youth-focused suicide-prevention services. McDonald said Second Wind Fund has served more than 9,000 youth and provided about 65,000 hours of therapy during its more-than-20-year history.

The board’s proclamations note local counts provided by the coroner’s office: 147 overdose-related deaths in 2024 and 120 deaths determined to be suicide in 2024. The suicide proclamation presented statistical context from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and urged residents to learn prevention resources and check on family and neighbors. Commissioners also reiterated the national suicide hotline number (988) during remarks.

The proclamations are symbolic actions by the board to recognize the issues and to highlight county and regional partner efforts; no formal vote on policy changes was recorded during the presentations. The board invited residents to utilize local providers and county information channels to learn more about prevention and treatment programs.