Spike in suicides in El Paso County jail highlights shortfalls of mental health care for those behind bars
April 3, 2021
By: Olica Prentzel
Article originally found in The Gazette
After a 33-year-old man took his life last week while incarcerated at the El Paso County jail, the number of suicides in the facility since 2019 rose to five, after nearly a decade when none were reported.
Their deaths come as suicides remain as the No. 1 cause of death in jails nationwide and as the El Paso County jail juggled mental health providers after a report found “critical shortfalls” in the jail’s former health care contractor. After making the switch to a new contractor, three more suicide have been reported.
