News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 10, 2020
Caring for Denver Foundation Opens $10 Million Funding Opportunity to Support Mental Health, Trauma, and/or Substance Misuse Among Denver Youth
Denver, CO – Caring for Denver Foundation is seeking to partner with organizations and agencies to increase Denver youth’s resilience to life stresses and pressures, address mental health and substance misuse early, and provide supports for families and allies of youth to better support youth in their healing.
Funding for youth is one of the priorities the Denver community identified through a robust engagement process that defines how Caring for Denver addresses the city’s mental health and substance misuse needs. Addressing mental health and substance misuse needs earlier in life leads to less crisis and less need for costly services later in life.
Denver residents also shaped Caring for Denver’s deep commitment to supporting work that dismantles stigma and elevates the voices of those impacted. “We’re looking for innovative mental health and substance misuse approaches that are youth-led, focus on the strengths of youth, and meet them where they are,” said Lorez Meinhold, Executive Director of Caring for Denver Foundation.
With this investment in Denver youth, Caring for Denver aims to:
- Reduce youth harm to self and others through addressing trauma, mental health, and substance misuse
- Increase youth ability to demonstrate healthy resilience for coping with challenges and stresses in life
- Increase awareness and involvement by family and allies in ways that help youth address trauma, mental health, and substance misuse
- Improve mental health and/or reduced substance misuse by youth
“It is important that youth themselves are part of the strategies and how services are delivered,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, Board Chair of Caring for Denver, “This is an opportunity for young people, who often feel invisible, to take the lead in shaping their futures.”
Funding for this initiative is currently open for applications, with a deadline of December 17, 2020.
About Caring for Denver Foundation
Caring for Denver Foundation was founded and funded with overwhelming voter support to address Denver’s mental health and substance misuse needs by growing community-informed solutions, dismantling stigma, and turning the community’s desire to help into action.
About Lorez Meinhold
Lorez Meinhold serves as the Executive Director of Caring for Denver. She brings more than twenty years of implementation and policy experience as a director of multilateral initiatives involving the public, private and civic sectors, working at the local, state, and national levels. She has worked in many capacities integrating health programs addressing mental health and substance misuse needs, connecting early childhood and health communities, delivery and payment system reforms, and efforts that required statewide stakeholder engagement.
About Rep. Leslie Herod
Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod (D-Denver) was elected in 2016 as the first LGBTQ African American in the Colorado General Assembly. Since then, she has passed 52 bills, addressing criminal justice reform, mental health, addiction, youth homelessness, education, and civil rights protections. Herod championed the Caring for Denver Ballot measure and now serves as Chair of the Caring for Denver Board.