SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) \u2014 The number of people in mental health crisis reaching out for help has surged in Salt Lake County, according to new data provided by the Utah Public Health Association.<\/p>\n
The data shows mobile crisis teams responded to more than 5,200 calls in the past 12 months. Roughly 60% of those calls came in after Jan. 1, 2025.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s up from just 376 from July 2021 to June 2022.<\/p>\n
Mental health advocates said that while the spike is alarming, it also signals something positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe clearly do have a lot of individuals in crisis,\u201d said Brooke Anderson, program manager with the Utah Public Health Association. \u201cBut they are actually finding someone to talk to, that\u2019s our ultimate goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anderson said the increased calls are not overloading emergency systems. In fact, the added capacity from mobile crisis units is helping free up law enforcement to focus on other calls.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, because our mobile crisis units are coming in, our law enforcement are able to actually go to the calls that they do need to respond to,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The data covers calls from July 2024 through June 2025. By comparison, in the 12 months ending July 2022, mobile teams were dispatched less than 400 times.<\/p>\n
The sharp rise in calls comes as public awareness around the 988 suicide lifeline continues to grow.<\/p>\n
Joe Tuia\u2019ana, founder of the \u201cI Love You Bro\u201d Project, said the goal is to reach people before they get to the point of dialing 988.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to do more prevention intervention than crisis intervention,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His group, which focuses on men’s mental health, often serves as a follow-up resource for those who call the hotline.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you give someone emotional space to start opening up, then they have permission to start healing,\u201d Tuia\u2019ana said. \u201cYou are not alone in these thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n
To strengthen prevention efforts, crisis teams in Salt Lake County will soon offer up to 600 free gun safes during house visits. The state is also piloting a program to identify gun storage locations that aren\u2019t tied to police departments.<\/p>\n
MORE | Suicide Hotline: Salt Lake mobile crisis teams to distribute gun safes in response to suicide hotline calls<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n If you have suicidal thoughts, call 988.<\/p>\n To visit I Love You Bro, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n