Heather Savalox, Founder/Outreach CoordinatorGina Toothaker, Program Director, Mind Springs HealthElizabeth Klemer, CMC, Volunteer

Our mission is to raise awareness of the impacts of bullying and decrease incidents of suicide by promoting the importance of standing up and speaking out to eradicate bullying and by providing our youth with the tools that instill courage and inspire growth of empathetic communities.

It Takes Courage is a community outreach team based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, operating as a program under REPS (Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide). We share our stories of growth and resilience to demonstrate that help is always available and so is hope. Suicide IS preventable.

Worldwide : 800,000 people die from suicide every year. Across the globe, 1 person dies every 40 seconds. (WHO)

Nationwide: 38,364 people died in 2010 from suicide . In America, we are losing 105 people to suicide per day. (CDC)

Statewide: 850 Coloradoans die by suicide each year. (CDPHE)

According to CDPHE’s Office of Suicide Prevention:

Residents of rural counties had the highest age-adjusted rate of suicide (18.4), 10% higher than the Colorado state average.

Deaths by Suicide Crude Death Rate*

Colorado 11,462 17.1

Routt County 66 21.4

*Rates are per 100,000 population, COHID, 2000-2013 Dataset

Deaths by Suicide Crude Death Rate*

Colorado 1,527 16.2Routt County 9 24.1

*Rates are per 100,000 population, COHID, 2000-2013 Dataset

In Routt County, suicide is listed as the 5th leading cause of death. (COHID)

Nationally, among 15 – 24 year olds, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death. (WHO)

Since 2012:

50 Anti-Bullying/Suicide Prevention Programs

Students/staff reached => 2250 in Routt County & counting…

www.ittakescourage.net - It Takes Couragewww.preservinglife.org – REPS www.meganmeierfoundation.org – Megan Meier Foundationwww.cdc.gov – Centers for Disease Control