Announcing the 2025 Larimer County Behavioral Health Services Impact Fund grant recipients

The total number of people with dementia is rising across the U.S. as the large population of Baby Boomers age. Dementia Together aims to improve the behavioral health of 2,250 people in Larimer County living with dementia, their care partners, and those in Larimer County who may encounter someone experiencing cognitive changes. Grant funding will be used for programs that reduce social isolation and promote meaningful connections – including meal drops, support groups for caregivers, arts engagement, and “mobile memory cafes.” As a North American Center of Excellence, the organization will also train people in caregiving and customer service roles to better support individuals with dementia.

By providing trauma-based training for case management staff, the organization aims to target unmet behavioral health needs of 80 children and youth experiencing homelessness in Larimer County. Children are particularly susceptible to the psychological effects of homelessness and housing instability, and behavioral problems in children and youth can often keep families from accessing shelter programs and retaining housing. The organization is filling a gap in care left by recent budget cuts to the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Programs at Poudre and Thompson School districts. Poudre School District identified 1,437 students, and Thompson School District identified 521 students as homeless at some time during the 2023-24 school year.

To improve the behavioral health of 1,000 child welfare recipients in Larimer County, the division will use funding to train and coach about 148 child welfare staff in skills that increase family engagement, support behavioral changes, and promote participation in services. The project will address disparities in how families of diverse backgrounds experience child welfare interventions. By fostering trust and collaboration, this effort is expected to improve behavioral health outcomes, and contribute to long-term family well-being.

In partnership with The Yarrow Collective, the organization will use funding for two weeklong, comedy-based behavioral health workshops; monthly open mic events; and a community showcase for the City of Loveland. YAY will deliver trauma-informed programming that uses humor and storytelling to reduce stigma, foster connection, and link participants to behavioral health resources. The goal is to improve the behavioral health of 300 primarily LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and underserved residents of Loveland and greater Larimer County who may not typically engage in traditional behavioral health programming. 

This project aims to train peer support specialists from high-risk industries – construction, food services, manufacturing, and healthcare, as well as underserved Latino/é communities – to lead workplace-based Employee Resource Groups. Through technical assistance, bilingual training, and employer certification, the initiative will expand behavioral health capacity among small and mid-sized businesses across Larimer County. Participating employers will implement stigma-free policies, offer on-site resources, and integrate workplace-supported recovery services into their operations. With a focus on rural and underserved communities beyond Fort Collins and Loveland, the project aims to provide equitable access to trauma-informed behavioral health education and support.

With a $50,000 match from the Addiction Counseling Program at Colorado State University, the Psychological Services Center plans to develop a justice-forward outpatient addiction counseling program. It will provide substance-use and mental health counseling to people transitioning from incarceration or community supervision, as well as those who face barriers to accessing mandated outpatient counseling because they are underinsured or uninsured. They will implement a sliding-fee scale to ensure no one is turned away due to inability to pay. The organization also aims to retain well-trained, early-career clinicians through ethical supervision, loan repayment access, and long-term professional development – ultimately strengthening the local behavioral health workforce. 

CSU Psychological Services Center is also being recognized with a special award, for its work at the intersection of behavioral health and criminal justice. It is the 2025 recipient of the Gary A. Darling award. 

Through family focus groups and client feedback, EVICS identified an urgent need for accessible, professional family counseling to support households navigating challenges and intergenerational conflict. In response, the organization plans to hire a bilingual licensed family counselor who will provide in-person therapy to 100 individuals or families – who lack access to culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health services in Larimer County. This role complements EVICS’ existing bilingual, trauma-informed services, currently delivered by a provider, who travels weekly from Fort Collins to serve Latinx families in Estes Park.

Larimer County Community Corrections will use funding to expand outpatient treatment services for justice-involved clients through an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). This 12-week program will consist of group and individual therapy sessions, covering topics such as understanding triggers, managing stress, relapse prevention and strategies, and exploring negative thoughts supporting improved outcomes and lasting success for clients. The goal is to hire two staff members who will develop and launch the program. As the program becomes operational and service delivery begins, other funding sources will be used to support these positions, replacing the initial Impact Fund grant dollars to ensure long-term sustainability.

The organization plans to hire a behavioral health technician who will support high-need individuals in Larimer County – those living with HIV, who use drugs, and who face significant barriers to access care in the community. They will provide counseling, crisis intervention services, support caregivers and families, coordinate client care across multiple organizations, and more. High-needs individuals have historically experienced behavioral health care disparities, including medical mistrust, discrimination within the health care system, poor integration of behavioral health and primary care services, as well as inadequate insurance or lack of insurance coverage for behavioral health treatment.

The organization aims to improve the behavioral health of 500 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, as well as those with comorbidities – people who have a combination of mental health and substance-use issues. Funds will be used for training outreach specialists who connect with people on the streets; improving data systems; and streamlining Outreach Fort Collins’ client referrals to the taxpayer-supported Larimer County Behavioral Health Services Acute Care facility at Longview campus. Many clients get their first introduction to behavioral health care through the Outreach Fort Collins team.

Through programming in Larimer County schools, SAVA removes access barriers for underserved and marginalized youth, meeting them where they are. This programming equips youth with the tools necessary to prevent sexual violence and empowers them to seek help when they need it most. As trust is built between SAVA educators and students, disclosures of sexual violence often occur. This highlights the critical role SAVA's prevention programming plays in bridging the gap between disclosure and providing timely intervention services – thus preventing youth from falling through the cracks. 

Fifty staff members from all employee groups, and every middle and high school across the district, are invited to participate in the Resilient Futures Trauma-informed Practices training for secondary educators. It is part of a comprehensive effort in TSD to strengthen mental and behavioral health support for all 7,000 secondary school students – especially those who are historically marginalized. Hosting the training in Berthoud intentionally increases access for rural staff who serve students most in need of belonging, such as LGBTQ+ youth and students of color. By committing to this training and offering it across the district, TSD is empowering educators to create safer, more supportive learning environments where all students can thrive.

When a child dies, the world breaks open for the people they leave behind, and their families are at risk of profound and lasting behavioral health challenges. 3Hopeful Hearts is the only nonprofit in Northern Colorado that provides no-cost, peer-led support that helps families navigate their grief. In 2024, the organization responded to 236 newly bereaved families, provided 125 listening sessions, and facilitated 99 grief support groups.This year, the team aims to deepen its impact by increasing individual listening sessions; support groups; Spanish-language services; and by piloting a new C.A.R.E. program, which is a grief-informed resource for families seeking alternative behavioral health support. 

A Little Help aims to reduce social isolation and address mental health challenges among 815 adults, ages 55 and older, in Berthoud, Fort Collins, and Loveland. ALH plans to strengthen its volunteer model through Care Visits, a 30-day Care Call system for new members, and the Little Talks & Diverse Discussions series focused on wellness and connection. Key initiatives include staff and volunteer training to better support members with behavioral health needs, outreach to less active older adult members, and targeted volunteer recruitment of current or retired professionals in nursing, psychology, and social work. ALH will continue partnering with SummitStone Health Partners for referral coordination and collaborate with Spark the Change to offer wellness workshops and counseling services.

Many individuals seeking sobriety, especially low-income Coloradans, lack access to the resources needed to break free from the cycle of substance use. Abundance addresses this need by providing sober housing, delivering outpatient care, pairing participants with licensed Recovery Coaches, and fostering connection within the recovery community. The organization aims to decrease relapse and recidivism rates, and improve the behavioral health of 200 people struggling with addiction in Larimer County by placing low-income, homeless, and recently justice-involved individuals into sober living houses, addressing basic hygiene needs, and administering sober activities.

Through individual, family, and group therapy, Bloom Counseling & Nutrition addresses the growing need for specialized eating disorder treatment in Larimer County. Although Bloom partners with Medicaid and major health insurance plans as an in-network provider, financial barriers persist for some clients. To address this, the organization will expand its offering of free and sliding-fee therapy sessions, for both individual and group therapy. Project goals include improving the behavioral health of 55 Larimer County adolescents from low-income backgrounds by making care more accessible, improving treatment outcomes, and sustaining Bloom’s mission of providing comprehensive care for all. 

Children involved in the child welfare system have high degrees of relational trauma that, when unaddressed, negatively impact their mental and behavioral health. These systems exacerbate existing issues and create additional trauma for children and their families. CASA aims to do Trust-Based Relational Intervention training with and provide wraparound support to approximately 650 clients involved in or at risk of being involved in local child welfare systems. An example of this work is providing in-court sensory and emotional regulation support for youth and their families during hearings, as well as access to the Calming Room in the Larimer County Justice Center.

CAiR provides peer-led creative workshops for individuals recovering from substance use and mental health challenges. Offerings include visual arts, music, writing, fiber arts, trauma-informed yoga, and sober social events like Open Mic Nights and Recovery Art Shows. This grant will support two staff positions, with an aim of doubling the organization’s impact – to improve the behavioral health of 1,000 adults in recovery. CAiR aims to increase workshops in Fort Collins and Loveland, expand programming in Berthoud and Estes Park, and deepen outreach to LGBTQ+ individuals through targeted partnerships. Grant funds will also support additional facilitator stipends, supplies, and training.

Campus Connections’ Therapeutic Youth Mentoring program provides early identification, prevention, and treatment of mental and behavioral health challenges through mentoring. Undergraduate student mentors are paired with youth, who are between the ages of 10 and 18, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, and who are primarily from disadvantaged backgrounds in Larimer County. They work together on socio-emotional skill development, academics, and prosocial activities. Family therapy graduate students also provide integrated therapy to youth mentees and families. Grant funds will be used for staffing, including for support of a Spanish-speaking assistant case manager.

To fill a gap in limited mental health services readily accessible in the Estes Valley, Crossroads Ministry will use its centralized location in the community to continue providing mental health services. Limited housing options force therapists to commute, which results in a lack of services in the rural community. Businesses, government entities and community partners can refer people who are in a mental health crisis to Crossroads’ in-house services, which are overseen by Crossroads Ministry program staff and two dedicated Estes Park mental health counseling service practitioners. Crossroads is the only “storefront” providing assistance with basic human needs in the Estes Valley.

The organization will use funding to provide services for Larimer County’s first responders and frontline workers through an around-the-clock behavioral health response system. Services including on-scene crisis intervention, incident debriefings, and clinician-led, individualized reentry plans following traumatic or life-threatening events. The program prioritizes outreach to underserved and rural agencies in Larimer County, meeting responders where they are and when they need it most. FRTS’ ultimate goal is to ensure first responders can heal, stay well, and continue serving the community effectively. 

Housing Catalyst will use funding for an on-site behavioral health clinician, who will serve 120 residents in Permanent Supportive Housing at Mason Place and Redtail Ponds. Transitioning from chronic homelessness, these clients face complex mental health and substance use challenges. The clinician will provide therapy, crisis response, and care coordination, with an aim of resolving 80% of crisis events on-site – significantly reducing reliance on emergency medical services, law enforcement, and hospital emergency departments. In Colorado, the average emergency room visit costs $1,462, and inpatient psychiatric hospitalization can exceed $2,300 per day.  Preventing 25 ER visits and five inpatient stays saves over $60,000 in public costs.

The organization will use funding to continue its Sober Living Peer Support and scholarship program with three goals in mind: removing financial barriers, enhancing recovery support, and expanding treatment options. Lighthouse provides first-month scholarships to individuals with little or no income, ensuring they can access safe, sober housing without delay. This helps prevent gaps in care and gives participants a stable foundation for recovery. Trained peer support specialists offer lived-experience guidance to participants in their recovery journey, and weekly group activities foster connection, accountability, and a sense of community. Lighthouse policies support the use of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including SubOxone under valid prescription. MAT education and referrals are also provided to promote informed decisions around recovery care.

The organization will use funds to expand its Adult and Youth Behavioral Health and Wellness Program, along with social resilience programming in Larimer County. This project aims to address mental health, self-harm, and substance use disorders among at least 185 members of the LGBTQ+ community. RME provides no-cost services to remove financial barriers to access, incorporates peer support into its programs, offers therapy sessions with a culturally responsive therapist, and aims to promote strong connections, healing and wellness through community activities, events, and workshops.

Trauma can have broad impacts on health, relationships, and through systemic inequities such as racism and poverty. The Jacob Center will use funds to expand its work beyond clinical services to include home- and community-based coaching and support, meeting families where they are to reduce barriers and increase access. These non-clinical services are designed to complement therapy by offering practical, trauma-informed tools to help families build resilience and strengthen relationships. When meeting with middle and high schoolers, center staff discovered that youth want holistic support that helps with social situations and activities in the community, as well as programs that support their caregivers and siblings. Through this work, the center aims to support 75 youth clients and their families in Larimer County.

Through its Renew and Restore program, Turning Point aims to improve the behavioral health of 125 Larimer County youth and families at risk of becoming involved in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems, as well as women in the Larimer County Community Corrections Program. The organization aims to refine an existing program that reunifies children with their parents/guardians who were incarcerated. 

ChildSafe’s Child Abuse Treatment Program provides affordable, comprehensive therapy for survivors of childhood abuse, primarily sexual abuse. To better meet demand and reduce its waitlist for individual, group, and family therapy for youth and their non-offending family members, ChildSafe has expanded into a second location at the Loveland Youth Campus, alongside nine other youth-serving nonprofits. Grant funding will help sustain therapist staffing at both sites and ensure access for low-income residents of Larimer County, as well as support staff training in evidence-based, trauma-informed practices. The goal of these efforts is to improve the behavioral health of 605 Larimer County youth survivors of abuse and their family members.

Funding will be used to improve the behavioral health of 132 juveniles and adults who are involved in the criminal justice system in Larimer County. Juveniles must accept responsibility for what they’ve done, be willing to participate in treatment, and have family support to be in the diversion program for sexual offenses. The time commitment is case-dependent and ranges from six months to two years. The Office is also working to expand its "Sexting" class to reach not only those who have committed sexual offenses, but also juveniles who may become involved in the justice system, as well as middle and high schoolers generally.

Stories of Impact: One family’s story of trauma, support from Larimer County Juvenile Diversion program >>

The Alliance aims to provide suicide prevention training, community outreach, and grief support to 12,500 Larimer County school-aged youth (ages 9-17); working adults; and staff at organizations that serve veterans, older adults, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Colorado ranks within the top 10 states in suicide rates, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Larimer County among the top 10 counties in the state. Thanks to collective efforts of the Alliance and other community partners, Larimer County has seen a 25.6% reduction in the suicide rate since 2019 and is currently leading the nation in reducing suicide rates. Despite this important reduction, significant unmet needs remain.

Through its award-winning Behavioral Health Team, BGCLC aims to offer 380 one-on-one counseling sessions and 240 social-emotional learning groups, over 12 months across five club sites, to 150 unduplicated Larimer County youth. By offering free behavioral health services at its clubs, BGCLC is uniquely able to reach youth who may not have otherwise sought services due to challenges such as finances or transportation. For the third year in a row, families ranked behavioral health programming as the most important and most impactful offered by BGCLC.

Perhaps more than ever, it is challenging to be a behavioral health professional – given current demands for services and funding uncertainty. Crossroads is taking a proactive approach to retention by providing therapeutic support for staff, and this ties directly into Behavioral Health Services’ focus on strengthening the behavioral health workforce in Larimer County. Funding has also gone to the Time to Talk program, a violence prevention course for teenagers and families that focuses on healthy dating relationships and recognizing the red flags of dating violence.

Harvest Farm will use funding for two staff members’ salaries and their peer support specialist training to improve the behavioral health of 100 men in Larimer County experiencing homelessness, poverty, mental illness or issues with substance use. Located in Wellington, the 100-acre farm is also a rehabilitation center for men offered free of charge. Residents participate in the long-term New Life Program – this includes work-readiness training, education, counseling, and more – to gain the skills, stability, and self-esteem necessary to become productive, self-sufficient members of society.

Funds will be used to connect with 1,750 Larimer County families, providers, staff at agencies that serve adults, and Colorado State University social work students through the Early Childhood Mental Health Program. The cross-sector program includes group therapy sessions for caregivers with young children; workforce training in early childhood mental health; and a unique fellowship program as part of which students agree to find work in Larimer County. 

*The two organizations applied together and were awarded one grant totaling $150,000, or $75,000 for each.

Hearts & Horses will use funding to pay for equine-assisted learning for 32 middle school students in Thompson School District who face substantial adversity, such as poverty, discrimination, trauma, homelessness, or neglect. Each participant is paired with a horse, as well as a dedicated team of instructors and volunteers who have been specifically trained to work with adolescents who have experienced trauma.

Healing Warriors aims to provide health treatment and suicide-prevention services to 400 Larimer County veterans, active-duty military members, and their family members. Grant funding will allow the organization to provide no-cost acupuncture, craniosacral, and healing touch therapies, as well as case management services. HWP envisions a suicide-free world where all veterans and their families thrive.

La Cocina aims to provide services to 100 Latine young children (birth to age 8), and the adults who care for them, through Mil Dias de Amor. This is a parental, infant, and early childhood mental health service program offering culturally and linguistically responsive prevention, promotion, early identification, intervention, and training services through things like psychological assessments, home visits, and more.

The Alliance plans to provide community-based care coordination and peer support services to 300 individuals in Larimer County with substance-use needs and involvement in the criminal justice system. The idea is to meet people “where they are,” assist with behavioral health treatment access, and reduce barriers to recovery. Individuals are at the highest risk of overdose post-incarceration, NCHA says, and they need continued care upon release to prevent re-entry into the system.

Partners aims to provide community- and school-based mentoring, as well as prevention education services to 770 Larimer County youth (ages 7-17), who face significant mental health, substance use, abuse, and academic challenges. This project focuses on youth in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park. Programming serves some of the most vulnerable members of the community; many youth have experienced increased social isolation, a lack of safe and supportive spaces, and depression and other behavioral health challenges.

The Center and Teen Activity Center, or TAC 212, aims to engage 140 underserved youth (ages 11-18) and families in Larimer County in mental health and substance use classes, leadership workshops, prevention services, and case management. Funds will also be used to expand activities at TAC 212 that promote physical, mental, and social well-being. TAC 212 is open to all Larimer County teens.

La Familia aims to support 120 Latinx/Hispanic families in Larimer County through multiple Mental Health First Aid trainings, youth-parent workshops and wellness series, as well as through connections to behavioral health services and coordination of onsite occupational therapy services for children. The organization intentionally employs bilingual and bicultural employees to ensure programming is developed through the lens of the population staff work with.

Yarrow Collective aims to provide care for 400 Larimer County adults and teens through non-clinical peer support groups. Peers support BIPOC, Trans and Nonbinary, chronically ill, disabled community members, and members of other underserved populations who are struggling with unmet mental health or substance-use needs. These individuals may also be unable or apprehensive to seek traditional behavioral health care services.