Nucla board reviews draft Suicide Prevention Month proclamation, asks for local data

Trustees reviewed a draft proclamation that would designate September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Month in Nucla and debated whether the data cited in the draft referred to Montrose County or specifically to the town.

The draft stated that “in 2025, Montrose County experienced 12 community member deaths by suicide,” language trustees said needs clarification so the town does not adopt figures that apply to a broader area. One trustee asked that staff verify whether the count is countywide or specific to the West End before the board adopts the proclamation. Trustees also recommended recognizing local suicide-prevention organizations by name; the draft already referenced a local Suicide Prevention Awareness and Recovery Coalition and organizations such as Thrive Community Health Network.

Board members agreed the proclamation’s goals — to recognize suicide as a preventable public-health problem and to encourage connection and resources for affected residents — are appropriate for Nucla but that staff should update the draft with local data and consistent spelling of town and partner names prior to formal approval.

No formal vote on the proclamation was taken the same evening; trustees directed staff to confirm the data sources and prepare a revised proclamation for a future meeting.