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A Salt Lake City therapist is spreading a suicide prevention message on an intimate but eye-catching scale: 18-inch yard signs for his neighbors to see.
What's happening: Signs that say "Don’t give up" and "You matter" have appeared in the Liberty Wells neighborhood, courtesy of Sean Patrick McPeak, a therapist who lives there.
Why it matters: Utah consistently ranks among the 10 states with the highest suicide rates.
The yard signs could seem like a too-easy answer to a complex problem — but displayed as part of a person's home, they seem to convey sincerity, McPeak said.
The intrigue: One neighbor took offense because they thought the "You matter" message was a rebuke of "Black Lives Matter," similar to "All Lives Matter."
Zoom out: The yard signs come from a nonprofit in Oregon, whose founder began making them after learning about the high suicide rates in her community.
The bottom line: "Everyone suffers, but we don't have to do it alone," McPeak said.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
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