Wyoming Suicide Rate Runs About Double the US Average

Published August 11, 2026

Wyoming has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, and the shortage of mental health treatment facilities across a state that size is part of why. A report puts the state’s rate at roughly double the national figure, returning national attention to a problem Wyoming officials have been working on for several years.

Even though The Equality State features a wide range of inpatient and outpatient programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, many continue to slip through the cracks. For families researching behavioral health options in a rural state, the practical question is what care actually exists within driving distance, and whether it can treat more than one condition at a time.

Wyoming’s Crisis in Numbers

Wyoming recorded 168 suicide deaths in 2024, as per the state’s Department of Health. That was up from 156 in 2023 and 155 in 2022, though still below 190 in 2021 and 182 in 2020.

The trend over a longer window is worse. In 2024 Wyoming had the largest ten-year increase in its suicide rate of any state, at 35%. Its rate ranked second only to Alaska, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Men accounted for nearly 90% of Wyoming resident suicide deaths in 2024. While many Gen Z and younger men have sought counseling, the state health department reported that a majority of those men were 80 or older. That age concentration is unusual and shapes what outreach has to look like.

Rural States Rank High

Wyoming has consistently appeared alongside Alaska and Montana at the top of state rankings. All three are vast, sparsely populated, and rural.

Researchers cited in coverage of the issue point to several contributing factors. These include limited availability of counseling and psychiatric services, social isolation, high poverty rates and a cultural emphasis on self-reliance that discourages asking for help.

The first of those is a treatment access problem and behavioral health providers can address it directly.

Mental Health and Addiction Connection

Wyoming promotes its crisis line for mental health crises, substance use problems, and thoughts of self-harm together, and that grouping reflects how these conditions actually present.

Depression, anxiety and substance use disorders frequently occur in the same person. State-level analyses have found depression, fatal overdoses, and suicide all worsening in Wyoming over recent years.

When conditions overlap, treating one and referring out for the other tends to produce worse outcomes than treating both together.

Co-occurring disorders, also called dual diagnosis, means a mental health condition and a substance use disorder take place at the same time. Integrated treatment addresses both within a single program with one team and one plan, rather than sequencing them.

That approach matters more in a rural state, not less. When the nearest behavioral treatment center is two hours away, heading to a second program for a second diagnosis often means a person receives no treatment at all.

Wyoming’s Response

The state has expanded prevention infrastructure. The state’s Department of Health established a statewide suicide prevention program to provide administrative support to the Wyoming Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The state funds community prevention specialists in every county and operates two 988 call centers staffed by trained local personnel and uses the latest technology.

Wyoming began offering round-the-clock voice and text crisis support through 988 in 2022, having previously had no locally staffed crisis line. In March 2025 alone, the line took 739 calls.

Governor Mark Gordon’s WY We Care initiative has run free suicide awareness and prevention trainings with more than 3,000 residents trained before its March 2026 sessions. A statewide suicide prevention plan covers 2024 through 2028.

Efforts have also targeted the highest-risk group directly to bridge the mental health gap. A year-long statewide radio campaign launched in January 2026, aimed primarily at older Wyoming men, aired nearly 8,000 public service announcements across 69 stations in its first month.

Treatment Options for Mental Health and Addiction

For someone seeking care, the options in a rural state generally fall into a few categories. Men’s outpatient therapy, including evidence-based approaches such as group behavioral counseling, is the most widely available. Intensive outpatient programs offer more structure without residential placement. Residential treatment centers provide the highest level of behavioral health care, and in Wyoming may require travel.

Telehealth has meaningfully changed access in states like this one, particularly for psychiatric medication management, which is the service in shortest supply outside the larger towns.

Comprehensive Treatment in Wyoming & Beyond

When you contact a program, ask whether it treats co-occurring disorders in one place, whether a psychiatric prescriber is on staff, if it accepts Medicaid, and the wait time.

You can easily browse our online directory to find mental health treatment facilities and dual diagnosis programs nationwide. Entries are searchable by location, condition treated, and insurance accepted.

If you or someone you know is in a crisis, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text, 24 hours a day. In Wyoming, both call centers are staffed in state. For substance use feel free to dial 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) to chat with an expert for free and confidential guidance.

Author

Quentin Blount

Content Manager

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Quentin brings nearly a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and digital publisher to his role as Content Manager for Rehab.com. He aims to help people better understand their treatment options by creating engaging and informative content that is user-friendly, factually accurate, and optimized for search engine visibility. In his free time, Quentin enjoys the company of his friends, family, and his dog, Coop.

Editor

Peter Lee, PhD