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Our Story

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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:

  1. Expanded & enriched local behavioral health services across the County.
  2. 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.

2021 Financial Highlights

 

 

Shall Larimer County taxes be increased $19,000,000 dollars annually (estimated first fiscal year dollar increase in 2019) and by whatever additional amount as may be raised annually thereafter, for a period of 20 years by the imposition of a .25% (25 cents on $100 dollars) sales and use tax with all revenue from such tax to be used in accordance with the Board of County Commissioners Resolution # 07242018R013 for the following Mental/Behavioral Health care purposes:

  • Provide preventative, early identification, intervention, support, and treatment services for youth, adults, families and senior citizens, either directly or indirectly, who are residents of Larimer County including Berthoud, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, Windsor and rural communities of Larimer County through in-person and other delivery methods, which may include tele-services, community based services and other service options and;
  • Acquire, construct, improve, maintain, lease, remodel, staff, equip, and operate new and/or existing mental/behavioral health facilities;

Further provided that an annual report shall be published and provided to the Board of County Commissioners on the designation or use of the revenues from the tax increase in the preceding calendar year consistent with its approved purposes.

Larimer County is a community that values and promotes behavioral health with a comprehensive and sustainable continuum of behavioral health care.

Responsibly investing in community-driven work to increase access to behavioral health services and improve outcomes for all Larimer County community members.

  • Enhance community-based services to shift from an acute- care model to a recovery-based model of care
  • Improve access to behavioral health services in both rural and urban areas
  • Promote emotional health and well-being
  • Reduce substance abuse
  • Reduce attempted and completed suicides
  • Reduce recidivism for individuals with unmet behavioral health issues

 2018 Community Master Plan for Behavioral Health