Colorado to De-Silo Mental Health Services through BEST Youth Initiative
Happy African American high school student walking through hallway with her friends and looking at camera.

Aug. 27, 2024

Colorado to De-Silo Mental Health Services through BEST Youth Initiative

Colorado has unique opportunity to design a coordinated system that meets the needs of kids and families before they fall into crisis

Every young person in Colorado, regardless of their circumstances, deserves access to the mental health support services they need to thrive. Colorado’s youth shouldn’t have to navigate a confusing maze of disconnected services. What if instead, they could find a seamless, coordinated system that actually meets and anticipates their needs before they fall into crisis? 

That’s a vision that four Colorado state agencies and a quartet of community partners are proud to bring one step closer to fruition as a result of Colorado being one of five states chosen to partner with the Forum for Youth Investment, on its BEST Youth Initiative. 

A Vision for De-Siloed Youth Wellbeing Work

In direct response to the growing mental health crisis among young people, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Forum for Youth Investment put out a nationwide call-to-action for states to de-silo mental health support resources and apply for support with this process through its Building Ecosystems Statewide for Thriving (BEST) Youth Initiative.

Along with Connecticut, Indiana, Maine and New York, Colorado is one of the five states selected to participate in this groundbreaking three-year program, which aims to improve outcomes for youth ages 5-24 through collaborative, cross-system approaches. The BEST Youth Initiative will provide Colorado with the resources and technical assistance needed to break down the silos that often hinder effective collaboration across a state’s mental health ecosystem and drastically increase youth thriving. 

The Colorado Department of Human Services in deep partnership with adults and youth with lived experience of state systems will lead the partnership work with the Forum for Youth Investment team, with the Colorado Department of Education and Colorado Department of Labor and Employment as primary partners, as well as with the support of the Colorado Department of Law and several community-based partners also being part of this statewide, cross-system team.

“We can create a better experience for all Colorado children, youth, and families where they can more easily access the programs, benefits, and supports our state has to offer,” said Sara Nadelman, Manager of Youth Success at Gary Community Ventures. “And we can do a better job catching folks who are falling into the gaps of our existing systems.”

A Collaborative Effort for Statewide Impact

Colorado’s success in securing this award is the result of a collaborative effort spearheaded by the aforementioned state agencies and supported by several community organizations. The community coalition was led by the Caring for Colorado Foundation and included the Gates Family Foundation, the Colorado Children’s Campaign and Gary Community Ventures.

Led by Nadelman, Gary took an active role in this application process, and we’re now excited to continue to offer our support with the implementation of this work. We believe this initiative presents a unique opportunity to advance youth wellbeing in Colorado, by enabling more proactive, asset-based approaches that provide young people with opportunities to thrive while highlighting their wholeness and strengths. 

This initiative is all about rethinking how we can support our youth more equitably — starting by listening to those who know the system best.

“The state agencies did great work to win this award,” Nadelman said. “And we’re thrilled that young people with lived experience will be at the core of this program.”

Empowering the Future of Colorado’s Youth

With the BEST Youth Initiative, Colorado is not just responding to the immediate needs of its youth but is proactively building a system that will ensure their long-term success and well-being — and we’re gaining a powerful new, nationally-recognized ally to support this work in the Forum for Youth Investment.

Mishaela Durán, CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment, shared: “Through the BEST Youth Initiative, we’re empowering states to create interconnected systems that truly serve all youth. This collaborative effort marks a significant step towards reimagining how we support young people nationwide.”

To learn more about the national BEST Youth Initiative, visit FYI’s website.

To learn more about youth success in Colorado, and what we’re doing about, click the button below.

Youth Success

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