Business Cares: May 2024
Promoting Mental Health Awareness Month in Colorado:
A Crucial Step Towards Well-being
This Month’s Featured Nonprofit:
May marks the observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to spreading awareness and understanding of mental health issues, advocating for support and resources, and breaking down stigma. In Colorado, this month holds particular significance as communities come together to address the mental well-being of residents across the state. Throughout the month, we invite you to learn more about this nationwide challenge, but especially as it relates to your local community and what you can do to support the efforts of important organizations like Yarrow Collective.
Donate or learn more about free, drop-in support groups at Yarrow Collective by visiting https://www.yarrowcollective.org/
Colorado, renowned for its natural beauty and outdoor lifestyle, also faces significant mental health challenges. According to Mental Health America’s 2023 State of Mental Health in America Report, Colorado ranked 45 out of 51 for adult mental health, meaning we have some of the highest prevalence of mental illness and lowest rates of access to care. A staggering 6% of Colorado adults are having serious thoughts of suicide, and over 34% of Colorado adults with mental illness reported being unable to receive the care they needed, whether due to cost, unavailability of appointments, or provider incompetence. Recognizing these challenges, Mental Health Awareness Month becomes a vital platform for fostering dialogue, promoting resources, and encouraging support systems.
Mental Health Awareness Month in Colorado aims to destigmatize mental health struggles through education and open dialogue. Public forums, workshops, and social media campaigns amplify voices and foster support networks.
Additionally, the month emphasizes the importance of accessible mental health services. Efforts span from urban to rural areas, expanding resources and enhancing infrastructure through telehealth services, community clinics, and peer support groups.
Yarrow Collective: Peers of Larimer is a peer-run organization offering alternative mental health support groups in Northern Colorado by and for people with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use struggles. All of their groups are free, drop-in spaces. Fiscally sponsored as a project under the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, they recognize the historical and current structures that oppress marginalized people and acknowledge how oppression can often play a big role in our experience of mental health. The team at Yarrow Collective aims to provide a foundation of support and community, reaching for liberation by/for/with people with lived experience.
“Peers” are those who have lived experience with psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, extreme states, houselessness, oppression, problems with substances and other life-interrupting challenges.
Yarrow Collective is funded through the Larimer County Behavioral Health Impact Fund, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado Health Foundation, the Larimer County Regional Opioid Abatement Council, the Guber Family Giving Fund, United Way of Larimer County, and through donations from individuals and other organizations.
Advocacy and policy reform are also prioritized, with stakeholders pushing for legislation to improve funding, insurance coverage, and integrate mental health education.
As Mental Health Awareness Month unfolds in Colorado, it serves as a reminder of the collective responsibility to prioritize mental well-being. By fostering understanding, promoting resources, and advocating for change, communities across the state can work together to create a healthier, more inclusive future for all residents.
These local businesses graciously show support for this month’s cause. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Yarrow Collective.
As Mental Health Awareness Month unfolds in Colorado, it serves as a reminder of the collective responsibility to prioritize mental well-being.