Inside Digital Health recently covered the alarming rate of teen suicide and mental illness in Utah and how the SafeUT app is looking to change that.
Read excerpts of the article below.
“Two young people are treated for suicide attempt every day in Utah, more than the national average. In 2014, suicide was the leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 17. In one high school in Herriman, Utah, seven students and one recent graduate died by suicide during the 2017-18 school year. The question of whether suicide prevention efforts are working in Utah is routinely covered in the news. Finding root causes of the increase in suicide and enabling better access to care for vulnerable patients is a top priority — and technology can help in prevention efforts.”
“Adolescents are more likely to share their mental health concerns with someone who is not a close friend or relative; this makes an app ideal to increase accessibility for teens.”
“Digital health tools like SafeUT app are making prevention more effective than ever in Utah. They offer more resources and facilitate mental health support in a sphere where many youth are already socializing, which is key to connecting them with resources and ultimately providing better solutions for students suffering from depression and mental illness.”
The Utah Attorney General’s office researches, deploys, and shares cutting edge technology with law enforcement agencies here in Utah and around the world. We do this with careful attention to the crossroads where liberty, privacy, and public safety intersect.
Whether it’s using new technology to speed up DNA testing or capturing real-time intel to solve kidnappings, our office helps Utah live up to its reputation as an innovative, tech-friendly state that respects Constitutional freedoms. Hexwave technology (press release below) promises a faster, less-intrusive way for law enforcement to keep large crowds safe, and we are interested in exploring the possibilities. As long as new technologies respect Constitutional protections, the AG’s office will explore and deploy every tool available to keep people safe and bring criminals to justice.
Audio of AG Reyes addressing the use of Hexwave in Utah:
The following press release was issued May 22, 2019 by Liberty Defense.
Liberty Defense Signs MOU with the Utah Attorney General for Testing of HEXWAVE
SALT LAKE CITY and VANCOUVER, May 22, 2019 /CNW/ – Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd. (“Liberty”), a leader in security and weapons detection solutions, is announcing that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Office of the Utah Attorney General to beta test HEXWAVE in the state.
The Utah Attorney General, Sean Reyes, is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the state government of Utah. The attorney general is the chief legal officer and legal adviser in the state.
“HEXWAVE can be applied in a variety of settings to provide a means to identify possible threats before they advance into attacks. We are excited that the Attorney General of Utah recognizes the potential value of this technology and the opportunity it provides for enhanced security in the state,” said Bill Riker, CEO of Liberty Defense.
The proposed testing with and through the Office of the Attorney General may include, but is not be limited to:
Sporting and concert arenas, stadiums and Olympic venues
Primary, secondary and higher education facilities
Places of worship, facilities and property owned by or affiliated with faith entities
Government offices, buildings and facilities
Amusement parks
Entertainment events, conventions, shows and festivals
The Attorney General has committed to work in Partnership with Liberty to facilitate introductions and advise interested parties and venues on the potential for HEXWAVE technology. The goal of this initiative is to improve public safety for the citizens of Utah.
“We are pleased to be a part of this phase of testing this new product. Innovation in this space is essential as the type and frequency of threats also evolve. We look forward to evaluating the capabilities of the HEXWAVE product,” said Attorney General Sean Reyes.
This beta testing phase is a key part of the product development process for HEXWAVE. The incremental testing of the system in actual facilities can help to ensure that it is aligned to market requirements. Beta testing is expected to begin later in 2019 and progress into 2020.
About Liberty Defense Liberty provides security solutions for weapons detection in high volume foot traffic areas and has secured an exclusive licence from MIT Lincoln Laboratory, as well as a technology transfer agreement, for patents related to active 3D imaging technology that are packaged into the HEXWAVE product. The system is designed to provide discrete, modular and scalable protection to provide layered, stand-off detection capability. This is intended to provide a means to proactively counter evolving urban threats. The sensors with active 3D imaging and AI-enhanced automatic detection are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic firearms, knives, explosives and other threats. Liberty is committed to protecting communities and preserving peace of mind through superior security detection solutions. Learn more: LibertyDefense.com
About Utah Attorney General Since the admission of Utah as a state on January 4, 1896, the Attorney General has been an independently elected constitutional officer of the executive department and serves four-year terms. The current Utah Attorney General is Sean Reyes.
About Utah Utah is a state in the western United States. It became the 45th state admitted to the U.S. on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-largest by area, 31st-most-populous, and 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Utah was the home of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and may yet host future Olympic games.
Utah has one of the highest child pornography rates in the nation. Child pornography represents one of the cruelest and most horrific forms of sexual abuse against children. It preserves the very worst moments of a child’s life for the gratification of their abusers. The videos and images of child sexual abuse are traded, shared, and viewed as both currency and commodity. Some perpetrators use it as a tool to normalize their behavior and groom their victims.
It is important to educate the public on what child pornography is, the way it is disseminated and traded, and how to protect your children from becoming victims of this kind of sexual exploitation.
SALT LAKE CITY – On May 13, 2016, the Obama Administration issued a “significant guidance” letter, also commonly known as a “Dear Colleague” letter. After multiple efforts to obtain clarification from the Departments of Justice and Education failed to receive a response, a coalition of states sued. The lawsuit argues that the “Dear Colleague” letter has constitutional and statutory flaws, including improper rulemaking and failure to provide clear notice, among others, and if the Administration is using the Dear Colleague as new law, then it is legally deficient.
On joining the lawsuit, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes issued the following statement:
Every child is an individual. The recent “Dear Colleague” letter from the US Department of Justice and Department of Education attempts to apply a single solution to all individuals without regard for the input of parents, schools, and community leaders. The federal government’s ‘one size fits all’ mandate, disconnected from the needs of Utah schools, disrespects individuals and ignores the law.
As such, Utah has joined an action with states across the country to clarify issues raised by the DOJ and DOE and to prevent the federal government from infringing on the role of states, local school districts or Congress. Multiple states in good faith sought clarification from the DOJ and DOE, but the silence from the federal government has resulted in an environment of confusion for educators and administrators. The lawsuit will identify whether states and local school boards remain free to find solutions on a case-by-case basis, suited to the needs of individual families.
This case is not really about bathrooms, but about executive branch overreach. If the “Dear Colleague” letter was intended to mandate a new interpretation of the law, the lawsuit challenges that adaptation as legally improper. When a presidential administration wishes to change the law, it must do so appropriately. This Administration could have worked with Congress. It could have challenged the constitutionality of a state or local board policy. Or it could have taken proper steps under the Administrative Procedures Act to provide notice and solicit comment from the public, including states, school boards and families. Process has a purpose.
SALT LAKE CITY May 18, 2016 – Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes released the following statement about the 25th anniversary of the Utah Children’s Justice Program:
“This week we recognize a historic milestone as the Utah Attorney General’s Office celebrates 25 years of the Children’s Justice Center model in Utah. The Children’s Justice Centers (CJCs) provide a homelike, child focused sanctuary for abused children to be interviewed and supported though-out criminal investigations. Cases are handled by a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, medical and mental health providers, and others who help children find their voice and a pathway to justice and healing.
“In 1991, through the efforts of community advocate Grethe Peterson, Weber County Attorney Reed Richards, and Utah legislators Craig Peterson, Lyle Hillyard, and John Valentine, Utah opened its first three centers. In 1994 the CJCs were incorporated into a program under the Utah Attorney General’s Office, which has expanded services to 22 centers serving 28 counties. The founders envisioned the centers as public-private partnerships, with government and community support, and Utah’s program is now viewed as a model throughout the country. We are grateful to our distinguished founders for their vision, and we congratulate Administrator Tracey Tabet and the directors of the 22 Children’s Justice Centers across the state for 25 years of success.”
To learn more about the important work the CJCs do, please watch the following short video:
