Our Story
Every year, 1 in 5 individuals in Larimer County struggles with mental illness. Local providers work passionately every day. Yet, too many residents go without access to the care and treatment they need. From Estes Park to Berthoud, from Wellington to Loveland, from Fort Collins to Red Feather, the goal of Larimer County Behavioral Health Services is to facilitate quality mental health care to meet the needs of our community members, at the right level, the right time, and at the right cost.
In 2018, Larimer County voters passed a sales tax increase of .25% dedicated to Larimer County Behavioral Health Services. The ballot language presented a 2-pronged, local solution:
- Expanded & enriched local behavioral health services across the County.
- And, a regional behavioral health facility to coordinate those integrated services.
Funding Pathways
BHS reinvests funding back into the community through three funding pathways:
- The Impact Fund Grant Program - Our grant program allows Larimer County to invest directly in initiatives that serve the behavioral health needs of our community. The Impact Fund offers two types of grant funding; targeted and responsive. Targeted Grants identify specific areas of need with focused funding. Responsive Grants allow organizations to define the problem and propose solutions for the challenges faced in the communities they serve.
- Behavioral Health Facility - Construction is currently underway on the new behavioral health facility that will be located on the SE corner of Trilby Road and Taft Road. The facility has an anticipated opening of the facility in mid-2023 and will be operated by the contracted care provider, SummitStone Health Partners.
- Bridge Fund (future initiative) - Dedicated funding aimed at ensuring that people are able to get the services they need when and where they need them by addressing common barriers to behavioral health care.
2021 Financials
The 2021 revenue for Larimer County Behavioral Health Services is the direct result of the ballot initiative. Revenue generated also funded the grant program and the planning and design of the new behavioral health facility. The department holds a cumulative fund balance that will be directed to the construction of the facility and will allow the County to build the facility without incurring debt.
