A Mother’s Fight for Mental Health Awareness | Salt Lake City News

Salt Lake County has officially declared September Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, the result of eight years of tireless advocacy by Ray Lancaster, who lost her son to suicide in 2017. After overcoming bureaucratic roadblocks, she teamed up with Treasurer Sheila Srivastava, whose personal experience with her son’s suicidal crisis gave her deep empathy for those in pain. Together, they rallied county leaders—including Mayor Jenny Wilson—to make this historic proclamation. While this is a major milestone, Lancaster stresses it’s only the start: the real work lies in sustaining awareness, breaking stigma, and ensuring everyone knows they’re not alone. The message? Speak up, ask questions, and reach out—because mental health struggles aren’t failures, and help is always available through resources like 988. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/2ef35b74d255bbd3