Youth Mental Health First Aid
Central Colorado AHEC has partnered with Americorps to provide Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)
Click Here to Go Back to the Central Colorado AHEC YMHFA Webpage
Welcome!
This digital notebook was complied by Central Colorado Area Health Education Center, in conjunction with Mental Health First Aid Colorado, to help support Youth Mental Health First Aiders after their training.
Welcome to the family!
Jacinta Lisauskaite
Americorps Youth Mental Health First Aid Liason
Central Colorado AHEC
jlisauskaite@cbch.org
720.573.3590
The Central Colorado Area Health Education Center (CCAHEC) is a the front range regional member of the state's larger AHEC network. CAHEC strives to increase public-private collaborations with regards to improving access to care of underserved populations. CCAHEC strives to create a healthy and informed populace served by a well educated, diverse workforce in an accessible health care delivery system.
Working together to improve the health of Coloradans through the delivery of high quality, community-based, integrated behavioral and physical healthcare services.
The Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (CBHC) is Colorado's statewide, community-based mental health and substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery service association. Advocating on behalf of its members, CBHC works with policymakers and community leaders to enhance the community behavioral health system and improve the health, wellness, and safety of all Coloradans.
Mental Health First Aid Colorado provides coordinated and strategic leadership, critical infrastructure, and the necessary implementation supports to facilitate the statewide growth of both adult and youth Mental Health First Aid. We are a coalition driven by community and state agencies across Colorado with leadership from the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council and support from the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health. The backbone of MHFA Colorado is a growing network of instructors that are trained to encourage public understanding and involvement through teaching the signs and symptoms associated with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Mental Health Resources
Colorado Mental Health Resource Guide. This document is prepared by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado. It lists counselors who work on a sliding fee scale, and advocacy groups for various mental health concerns among other items.
Compiled by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado, this guide has resources on mental health advocacy groups, free/reduced counseling centers, and other mental health resources. Note: Please use the Mental Health Center information on the Mental Health Center contacts page as the listings are outdated.
Click the image below for the resource
Mental Health Centers. This document is an updated list of mental health center contacts for reach region of Colorado. It was complied by the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council.
CMHC |
Contact Information |
Counties Served |
|
Joan DiMaria, MSN, CAC III Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer |
155 Inverness Drive West Suite 200
Englewood, CO 80112
(303) 730-8858 |
Arapahoe, Douglas |
|
Dr. Mick Pattinson, President and CEO |
525 North Cascade Road Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80935 (719) 572-6330 | El Paso, Park, Teller |
|
Randy Stith, Executive Director |
Viewpoint Plaza
11059 E. Bethany Drive
Aurora, CO 80014
(303) 617-2300 |
City of Aurora, parts of Arapahoe |
|
Bern Heath, Executive Director |
281 Sawyer Drive
Durango, CO 81303
(970) 259-2162 |
Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, San Juan |
|
Liz Hickman, Executive Director |
211 W. Main Street
Sterling, CO 80751
(970) 522-4549 |
Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Yuma |
|
Sharon Raggio , Executive Director |
6916 Highway 82
PO Box 40
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
(970) 945-2583 |
Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mesa, Moffat, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, Summitt |
|
Rick Doucet, Executive Director |
8931 N. Huron Street
Thornton, CO 80260
(303) 853-3500 |
Adams |
|
Harriet Hall, Executive Director |
4851 Independence Street Suite 200
Wheat Ridge , CO 80033
(303) 425-0300 |
Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson |
|
Carl Clark, M.D., Executive Director |
4141 E. Dickenson Place, Denver, CO 80222
(303) 504-1250 |
Denver |
|
Barbara Ryan, Executive Director |
1333 Iris Avenue
Boulder, CO 80304
(303) 413-6263 |
Boulder, Broomfield |
|
Jon Gordon, Executive Director |
2130 East Main Street
Montrose, CO 81401
(970) 252-3200 |
Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel |
|
Larry Pottorff, Executive Director |
1300 N. 17th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
(970) 347-2120 |
Weld |
|
Fernando Martinez, Executive Director |
8745 County Rd. 9 South
PO Box 810
Alamosa, CO 81101
(719) 589-3671 |
Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, Sagauche
|
|
Becky Otteman, Executive Director |
711 Barnes
La Junta, CO 81050
(719) 384-5446 |
Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero, Prowers |
|
Dorothy Perry, Ph.D., M.B.A. – Chief Executive Officer |
1304 Chinook Lane
Pueblo, CO 81001
(719) 545-2746 |
Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo |
|
Randy Ratliff, Executive Director |
125 Crestridge Street,
Fort Collins, CO 80525
(970) 494-9870 |
Larimer |
|
Louise Delgado , Executive Director |
3225 Independence Road
Canon City, CO 81212
(719) 275-2351 |
Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake |
Mental Health Implementation Framework. The Colorado Behavioral Healthcare framework was created by the Colorado Legacy Foundation to assist schools and educational institutions implement tiered mental health supports within their communities.
Compiled by the Colorado Legacy Foundation, this guide is designed to assist schools in implementing appropriate RTI mental health interventions at the Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 levels.
Click the image below for the resource
School Culture and Preventative Factors
Research has shown that positive factors in a youth's life are strongly correlated with a reduced risk of mental health challenges. The resources below are Colorado based organizations which promote healthy lifestyles and early intervention in the lives of youth. MHFAC does not promote one specific organization but rather provides listings for other organizations.
Click the image below for the resource
B.I.O.N.I.C. Team
The B.I.O.N.I.C. Team was started in the 2004-05 school year at Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colorado in response to four suicides of students at our school a few years earlier. It is a club to help support students and staff going through challenging times and prevent other students from falling through the cracks. As a result, since 2004 we have reached out to over 50,000 people. Over 550 schools around the world have inquired about starting a B.I.O.N.I.C. Team on their school campus. Through the B.I.O.N.I.C. Team, young people are making a difference in their world by helping others facing challenging times such as new students, sick or hospitalized students, students and staff who lose loved ones, and other schools experiencing tragedy.
OUR MISSION
The B.I.O.N.I.C. Team is an organization designed to help fellow students, students' families, and staff through challenging times.
OUR GOALS
• To make new students feel welcome
• To reach out to hospitalized students
• To reach out to students with extended illnesses/health conditions
• To reach out to students and their families, and staff that experience the death of a loved one
• To reach out to other schools that experience tragedies
B.I.O.N.I.C.'s New Bully Prevention Program!
Look at this media clip of our new bully prevention program which is a simple add-on to any program at your school. It’s called “Prevent Bullying by Just Saying H.I.”
H – Help – Get help immediately from an adult when you see bullying - If you see bullying and you don’t feel comfortable stepping in and stopping it, contact an adult ASAP or report it through the procedure already set up in school.
I – Initiate – initiate contact with the bullied student – sometime that day reach out to let him/her know you care - If you feel comfortable stepping in during the incident, ask the bully to stop then reach out to the bullied student and ask him or her to hang out with you. - If you don’t feel comfortable stepping in at the moment of the incident, reach out to that student sometime that day – i.e. “I saw what happened and I am sorry. It was wrong and I reported it.” “I come this way every day at this time and I will be watching to see if it happens again.” “Would you like to sit with me next time?” “Would you like me to walk down the hall with you next time? - If you feel comfortable, tell the bullied student you reported this incident to an adult.
CONTACT:
Green Mountain High School
13175 W. Green Mountain Dr.
Lakewood, CO 80228
303-982-9402
bionicteam1@gmail.com
www.bionicteam.org
CalmingKids: Creating a Non-Violent World
Click the image below for the resource
CALMING KIDS (CK) is an innovative bully-proofing program for pre-school through high-school aged students. Founded on the yogic principle AHIMSA, meaning non-violence, CK blends yoga with non-violent communication techniques to develop an attitude of non-violence toward the self, toward peers, and toward the community. CK's award-winning, scientifically-proven curriculum improves anger management, increases concentration, reduces stress, improves physical well-being, and causes more effective, compassionate communication.
Contact:
Dee Marie, Executive Director
303-530-3860
info@calmingkidsyoga.org
Legal Resources
This section is designed to serve as a brief introduction to the legal rights of youth with regards to mental health services. It is not intended to replace the value of consultation by a lawyer.
In Colorado, 15 is e age with which a minor has privacy rights with regards to mental health services. However, if the therapist feels the information in their sessions is of value to the parents, the therapist can override that confidentiality. In addition, schools and community organizations may provide information about mental health services to teens over the age of 15 without informing parents.
The Child Mental Health Treatment Act (CRS 27-67-101, et seq.) was enacted into Colorado law in 1999 through House Bill 99-1116. The Act allows families to access community, residential, and transitional treatment services for their child without requiring a dependency and neglect action, when there is no child abuse or neglect. To be eligible, a child must have a mental illness, be under the age of 18, and be at risk of out-of-home placement or at risk of further involvement with a county department of human/social services. The Act applies to both Medicaid eligible and non-Medicaid eligible children, although the application and payment processes differ. Local and State-level appeal processes are available if services are denied, and for local interagency disputes.
Child Mental Health Treatment Act Webpage
CMHTA Mental Health Center/BHO Contact List, revision date 3/2014
Health and Mental Health Rights of Minors in Colorado
This document was published by the Colorado Association for School Based Healthcare. It outlines all areas of minor legal rights with regards to healthcare but also provides in depth information on mental health rights in Colorado. Use control + F and search for mental health to skim for all mental health resources.
Click the image below for the resource
Fact sheets
Colorado Legacy Foundation Publications
Click the image below for the resource
National Institutes of Health Publications
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Post Traumatic Event Resources
This section of the document is designed to provide you with resources, procedures, and information when your school is navigating a traumatic event. This information was complied on the Colorado School Safety Association website.
Parent Level Resources - From The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Having difficult conversations with students
This resource guide provides helpful tips for how parents can address the concerns of their children after a school traumatic event
School Level Resources - From NEA Health Information Network
Published by the Colorado Education Association, this guide is a step by step planning guide for schools traumatic events.
Community Member Resources - From The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Psychological First Aid is designed for community members after traumatic and crisis situations.
Region Resources
This section is designed to provide "one-pager" resources for each county. It is suggested that schools and organizations add it's own contacts and procedures and then post this information in its emergency procedures folder located in each classroom. As we offer trainings in more counties, more will be added.
- Denver City and County One Pager Guide for Mental Health Services
- Servicios de Salud Mental del Condado de Denver en Español
- More counties to come