All County offices will be closed Monday, May 26, in observance of the Memorial Day Holiday. Offices will reopen on Tuesday, May 27, for normal business. Many transactions may be completed online. Visit DoItOnlineDouglas.com to access more than 60 County services 24/7.
Board of Douglas County Commissioners recognizes May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month
Posted on May 13, 2025 2025News and Events
Pictured: Douglas County mental health professionals and program organizers alongside the Board of County Commissioners
You know mental health is important, but do you know why? In Douglas County, more than 18% of people reported poor mental health in 2023. That’s 70,000 people who felt unwell 14 or more days each month, according to data from the Colorado Health Institute’s Health Access Survey. What’s more, suicide remains the leading cause of death among Colorado’s youth and young adults.
Knowing that access to information and resources, as well as community engagement, can help fight the stigma that for too long has surrounded the topic of mental health, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners adopted a resolution at their May 13 Business Meeting recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month.
“Everybody has mental health. The mental health professionals here in Douglas County show up in force for the issues that mean the most to our communities,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon. “One of my favorite projects that we’ve had the opportunity to collaborate on has been establishing a dedicated three-digit mental health line: 988. At the press of a button, residents can access mental health support, which is an incredible accomplishment.”
Nationwide, as many as one in five U.S. adults – and one in six U.S. children – are impacted by a mental health condition each year. If you, a friend, or family member seems to be having more bad days than good, know that it is ok to reach out and ask for help:
“The work that Douglas County has done on mental health has been remarkable. I consider myself privileged and fortunate that I was able to come on board when I did and see the success that has been achieved over the years,” said Commissioner George Teal.
In the spring of 2014, Douglas County formed the Douglas County Mental Health Initiative to collaboratively address unmet mental health needs. Today, that initiative is more than 50 members strong and includes several programs to help people with mental and behavioral health, including the County’s Community Response Teams.
CRTs have served more than 9,900 people since 2017 and helped prevent more than 1,700 trips to the emergency room for mental health crises and nearly 626 jail bookings. This partnership has saved the County an estimated $10.4 million in fire, emergency medical services and jail costs.
In 2020, the partners launched The Care Compact, which has helped more than 180 adults with complex mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental disabilities find the support they need. Following the Care Compact’s success, the Youth Care Compact Pilot Program officially launched in April 2024, marking an important milestone in addressing the needs of youth in Douglas County. The program has served 24 families and made 98 service connections.
“Discussing mental health is incredibly important. Mental health is often one of those things that only gets spoken about when there is a failure of some kind,” said Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle. “The mental health professionals in Douglas County make such a big difference in our community, and it is important to celebrate their successes.”
The Douglas County Mental Health Initiative continues working on multiple strategies to improve the mental health network of care, fill gaps and address the persistent stigma that surrounds mental health conditions and substance use disorder. Learn more about this partnership on our webpage.
Be among the first to receive news as it happens. Subscribe to our online news push, and select your specific news focus and delivery preferences. Visit the Live Town Hall page and register for Town Hall notifications to ensure you are contacted to participate in future community conversations about topics important to you. Both services are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. And don’t forget to follow Douglas County on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Sign Up Now!