It's Time to Fix Colorado's Mental Health System for Children and Youth

The fragmentation of children’s mental health care in Colorado leads to a lack of coordination, accountability, and flexibility so that children miss early intervention services, receive duplicated support, and need more costly treatments in the long run.

Today in Colorado, suicide is the leading cause of death for children ages 10-24. An estimated 1 out of 6 teens has a diagnosable mental health condition. According to the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, 17% of high school students seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, 13% made a suicide plan, and 7% made a suicide attempt.

Prevention, early identification, early intervention and treatment of these conditions is needed now more than ever. Our mental health system is facing considerable challenges, and the status quo is not working for young people in our state. Together we have the power to make things better.

One thing we can do right now to ensure that children and youth in Colorado have access to mental health resources is to tell our state legislators that now is the time to improve our mental health system.

Click to send your state lawmaker a customizable, pre-written email.