Mental health awareness and firearm ownership do not have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, by improving the mental health of gun owners, the Wyoming firearm community can weaken anti-gun arguments. To do this, we must address the highest fatality category for firearms: suicide.
Wyoming is a gun-friendly state. In 2020, we ranked second in the US for gun ownership percentage. That year a Rand Corporation report had 66.2% of Wyoming homes with at least one firearm, only 0.1% lower than the number one state, Montana. There are several benefits related to this prevalence of ownership. Many Wyomingites proudly hunt, sport shoot, and carry for personal protection. Violent crime and homicide rates are much lower than the national averages, and it is common for experts to attribute these rates, at least partially, to widespread gun ownership.
However, there is one statistic, often ignored, that blights Wyoming’s otherwise positive record with firearms: suicide. Wyoming has the highest suicide rate of all 50 states. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, as of March 2022, Wyoming had 30.46 suicide deaths per 100,000 in comparison to that year’s national average of 13.48. The majority (70%) of those Wyoming suicides were by firearm. Of all firearm deaths, including accidents and homicides, 83% were suicides.
Many ignore this glaring issue for fear that it may result in losses to Second Amendment rights, but ignorance is never the solution. In fact, where things now stand, suicide by firearm is the biggest argument against gun rights that anti-gun interests could hold against Wyoming, so actively working to reduce that rate can actually strengthen pro-gun stances.
Sweetwater County Prevention Coalition aims to do just that: decrease suicide rates in the county without infringing on personal rights. To do this, we are using two critical strategies.
First, we are promoting. Walk the Talk America (WTTA), an organization “dedicated to bridging the gap between mental health and responsible gun ownership” that aims “to enhance the perception of mental health among gun owners while elevating the standard of mental health care within this community.” The organization’s site offers gun owners several resources including free mental health screenings, FAQs, articles, and many other tools to understand gun safety and mental health concerns. They also offer cultural competency courses to teach mental health providers how to welcome and effectively treat gun owners without threatening their rights.
Second, we provide free gunlocks to the community. Responsible storage of firearms can reduce suicides and accidents. They are especially important if there are children or individuals with mental health concerns in the home. During a mental health crisis, a gunlock can be the difference between life and death. If you are interested in getting free gunlocks or learning more about responsible firearm ownership, contact the Sweetwater County Prevention Coalition at sweetwatercoprevention@gmail.com.
By raising awareness of mental health issues and available resources among the firearm community and reducing the reluctance to seek help, we can all reduce the rate of suicide by firearm.
Resources:
For Sweetwater County Prevention Coalition they can email us at sweetwatercoprevention@gmail.com or visit our website sweetwaterpreventioncoalition.com For Southwest Counseling they can email Shae Haney at shaney@swcounseling.org or Jason Lux at jlux@swcounseling.org, visit our website at swcounseling.org, or call us at 307-352-6677 and ask for Prevention.
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