How Our City is Coming Together to Take Action
Your well-being matters.
This is the message Denver voters expressed when we came together to establish the Caring for Denver Foundation. In celebration of National Mental Health Month, we’ll share stories of hope and connect you to the resources available throughout our city.
Mental health is important for everyone.
As individuals, many of us will, at some point, struggle emotionally, psychologically, or socially. Those who know this struggle will understand how hard it can be to navigate and how there may not be a single “key” that helps us get through it and feel better.
As a diverse, major metropolitan area, how can we meet these complex needs?
We start by listening.
In 2022, we asked people in Denver to share their opinions. You told us you’re ready to talk about mental health and you’re ready to seek help. And it’s important to you to find support that reflects and affirms your cultures, identities, and values.
You also told us about the value of peer support. People who have navigated these challenges are important to your health, healing, and recovery.
We prioritize funding relevant, community-based care.
Many services already exist that are culturally relevant and community-based. Through our grants, we’re helping organizations create and strengthen pipelines that improve access to mental health professionals and treatment.
We prioritize care that reflects values, cultures, and identities.
Whether it is youth, communities of color, LGBTQIA+, older adults, or people with disabilities, the grantees we support are working to provide more care navigators, therapists, and services that reflect and affirm cultures and experiences.
We bring care to safe, trusted spaces.
Making it easier to access care in your community is also a big priority. We’re funding mobile services, spaces where crisis care can be easily accessed, and organizations offering peer support.
We recognize the value of community.
Many of our grantees are teaching us the value of going beyond the traditional concept of one-on-one interactions with a therapist. For example, our community’s young people are finding healing through art programs and group-based work.
We remember that healing is possible.
In the past year, more than 311,000 people in Denver learned about or used services as a result of our grantees. That number is FOUR TIMES the capacity of Empower Field at Mile High!
Community-driven and community-informed care are effective and trusted. Denver, together we are transforming mental health care in our city.
We’re grateful for this opportunity, and we look forward to continuing to learn and make meaningful change for the well-being of us all.
Stay tuned to our communication channels this month as we continue sharing stories of hope and connecting you to resources in your community.