SHG Advisors, a Colorado-based consulting firm, is proud to have worked with Pitkin County to lean into the expertise and experience of our behavioral health partners to co-design a shared vision and roadmap forward to address priority needs and gaps in our system. The final strategic plan emerged through a collaborative, community-driven process and is grounded in the solid framework of existing services and partnerships.
There is already a tremendous amount of work taking place to offer behavioral health services and supports in Pitkin County. The Behavioral Health Strategic Plan – which also includes an Executive Summary — builds from that strong foundation. While the plan is centered on those who live, work, and play in Pitkin County, it also acknowledges the realities of regional dynamics and shared service needs. Some solutions will extend beyond county lines, even as governance and funding remain locally grounded. The plan also strikes a balance between long-term vision and practical action – pairing ambitious goals with incremental, tangible steps that can drive early progress and build momentum over time. We are grateful to everyone who partnered with us on this endeavor and look forward to following the progress of implementation.
What is Behavioral Health?
The term “behavioral health” refers to a person’s mental and emotional well-being. Behavioral Health encompasses both mental health conditions and substance use disorders, and allows us to take a broader approach to addressing the behavioral health continuum.
What did we know going into the planning process?
Per a behavioral health system mapping exercise that the County conducted in the spring of 2024, Pitkin County has a robust and well-funded mental health system, including providers from a variety of backgrounds. However, residents in the valley still report not being able to access the care they need when they need it. Substance use is prevalent and visible in Pitkin County. Additionally, the lack of facilities that are dedicated to meeting behavioral health needs – such as a center that offers 24-hour care in a safe and secure facility that is not a jail – within Pitkin County results in unnecessary emergency department visits, unnecessary law enforcement encounters, and long travel times for clients and families. Some of the data indicates that preventative and early entry into mental health care are not prioritized.
Many providers in Pitkin County only accept private pay, which means that many people are not able to access care. Covid-19 created a greater cliff effect where people were no longer able to access public benefits when the Public Health Emergency ended. Meanwhile, due to inflation, individuals’ and families’ incomes were “too high for assistance” and yet not enough to pay for private healthcare. The low reimbursement rates for Medicaid – as well as the administrative burden – deter providers from enrolling in Medicaid. There is a significant lack of consistency across payor systems, which leads to inequity of the types of services and length of care that a person can receive. There is a need to expand the provider workforce, and also ensure that it is culturally responsive to meet the needs of people in Pitkin County.
What did the planning process entail?
A mixed-methods approach was used to ensure the planning process was both comprehensive and inclusive. SHG Advisors (SHG) conducted a thorough review of existing plans, reports, and data relevant to behavioral health in Pitkin County and the surrounding region. SHG also completed a scan of behavioral health best practices to inform recommendations. SHG held 2 in-person and 7 virtual partner meetings to share updates, present emerging findings, and actively gather input. Almost 25 structured interviews with behavioral health providers, partners, and funders took place to gain deeper insights into current challenges, successes, and opportunities for system improvement. SHG facilitated 7 focus groups with targeted
audiences and also actively monitored changes across the federal, state, and local behavioral health landscape.
Past Meetings:
July 24th, 2025: This was our final partner meeting! Please review the slides, recording, and meeting minutes. The final strategic plan will also be posted soon!
June 11th, 2025: The documents from our June 11th meeting include the slides, recording, and meeting minutes.
May 14th, 2025: The documents from our May 14th meeting include the agenda, slides, recording, and meeting minutes.
April 22nd, 2025: We held an in-person meeting on April 22nd to review the themes and findings to date for this work, as well as the work we have been doing to address homelessness in the community. The agenda for the meeting is here. The deck is here, and the meeting recording is here.
April 2025: The documents from our April 9th meeting include the agenda, slides, and recording. The meeting minutes are here. We had a group discussion about the continuum of care, however a technology malfunction meant that we couldn’t cover all of the different levels of care. Thus, we encourage you to provide your thoughts on the google sheet and this google document. On the google sheet, feel free to add notes and/or ensure that your own organization is represented accurately. On the google document, please feel free to add your thoughts and suggestions. Please keep in mind that the google sheet is a depiction of the core services and partners across the continuum and meant to be used as a tool for the strategic planning process. It is not meant to be perfect, a public-facing resource guide, or a detailed and fully comprehensive list of all the things. These documents will be available for your notes and suggestions through Thursday, April 17th, 2025.
Focus groups: There were a series of focus groups held in February and March 2025, both for specific audiences and for the general public. People were invited to share their observations and suggestions with SHG Advisors.
March 2025: Here are the documents from our March 13th meeting: Agenda, slides, and recording. The minutes from the meeting are here. We conducted an activity to answer questions about four specific topics, and we ran out of time for the small groups to complete their conversations. We encourage you to add your additional thoughts and suggestions to the padlet. Additionally, Mind Springs Health provided an update on their continuing services.
February 2025: The agenda for the February 12th, 2025 meeting can be found here. The slides are here and the recording is here. A document outlining some examples of initiatives to address the behavioral health workforce shortage is here. A comprehensive list of the Documents and Links referenced during the meeting is here. The meeting notes are here.
January 2025: The agenda for the January 22nd, 2025 meeting can be found here. The slides from that meeting can be found here, the recording is here, and the meeting notes are here.
December 2024: A kick-off meeting to review the approach to this project and listen to suggestions was held on Tuesday, December 17th, 2024. The slides from that meeting can be found here, and the recording can be found here. Participants were asked to share their vision for the behavioral health system in Pitkin County, and the suggestions/ideas can be found here.
I could really use some help right now.
If you are in need of behavioral health services, this page provides links to Mental Health and Substance Use Resources in Pitkin County. You can also visit the local Mental Health Provider Directory that is managed by HeadQuarters. The West Mountain Regional Health Alliance has released its 2025 Resource Guide, which also provides an overview of services available.
If you are in crisis or trying to help someone else in crisis, call this toll-free number: 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255
How is this related to the housing work that is taking place?
SHG Advisors is also working with Pitkin County to design a pathway to end homelessness. We know that there is some intersection between people who are unhoused and behavioral health. However, the majority of people with behavioral health conditions are not homeless. Further, decades of research reveal that only about one-third of people who are unhoused have a serious mental illness. The behavioral health work is focused on a larger population: the community at large in Pitkin County. Thus, we will align efforts across projects when it makes sense, but the projects are separate with distinct approaches and deliverables.
The Team
Learn about the SHG Advisors behavioral health team leading this work.