Utah lawmaker seeks to create first responder for mental health, suicide prevention

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate voted Tuesday to create a new kind of first responder who specializes in mental health and suicide prevention.
SB31, the Utah Mobile Crisis Outreach Team Act, passed 26-3 in the Senate and now moves to the House for consideration.
"I'm told by Salt Lake City that more than 1 in 6 calls for a first responder is in regards to a mental health or behavior health crisis," Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, told his Senate colleagues as he introduced the b