WellPower

Child and teen suicide is still a major issue in CO and the country. Learning that your child might be thinking of taking their life can be one of the scariest moments in a parent's life. There is a myth that talking to your child about suicide increases the risk of them taking their life, but that is not true. In fact, often talking to your child about suicide can be a relief for them and open up pathways to care. If you're a parent who needs support, or know someone who does, you're not alone. WellPower's Stay Safe program is here to support families as they navigate these challenging moments.

Ever witnessed the moment when shared experience becomes healing? At Juniper Village - The Spearly Center, residents recently honored our WellPower peer support specialists with personalized cards and heartfelt words of gratitude during their "Hearts That Reach High" celebration. Our peer specialists are the heart of transformational recovery. They bring something clinical training alone cannot provide: the credibility of lived experience, the courage of vulnerability and the hope that comes from their own recovery journeys. Each day, they show up with extraordinary compassion, transforming their hardest experiences into pathways of healing for others. This partnership exemplifies excellence in integrated behavioral health care. The Spearly Center specializes in serving people with chronic mental illness, brain injury and neurological disorders through a holistic approach that addresses all dimensions of well-being. By integrating WellPower's peer support services into their care model, they're creating communities where recovery thrives. The evidence supports this approach: 86% of individuals in permanent supportive housing successfully remain housed for several years, with peer support models showing significantly improved quality of life outcomes. Housing First programs reduce homelessness by 88% and increase housing stability by 41% to 54%. Our peer specialists don't just deliver services—they build bridges of understanding, model resilience and foster environments where people feel safe to heal and grow. Their lived expertise transforms traditional care models into healing communities. The data confirms impact: costs are reduced by nearly half when chronically homeless individuals are placed in supportive housing. But today's celebration reminds us of something statistics can't capture: the profound courage it takes for our peer specialists to share their recovery journeys in service of others. To our peer support team: You embody hope, resilience and the power of human connection. Thank you for your dedication, authenticity and the daily transformations you facilitate. We're deeply grateful for our partnership with The Spearly Center, which has created meaningful opportunities for our peer specialists to serve residents in this specialized care setting. Together, we're demonstrating that when behavioral health facilities embrace peer support as essential to care, outcomes improve and lives transform. This collaboration sets a powerful example for integrating lived experience into skilled nursing environments. How is your organization integrating peer expertise into specialized care settings? Meet some of our wonderful peer specialists: https://bit.ly/47Y4TDo #PeerSupport #BehavioralHealth #SupportiveHousing #IntegratedCare #PoweringWellBeing #MentalHealthCare #EvidenceBasedPractice

Research shows peer support reduces psychiatric hospitalizations by 50% and healthcare costs by 21%. But the real impact? It's in the human connection. At WellPower, our peer specialists understand that evidence-based hope isn't about toxic positivity – it's about proven outcomes rooted in lived experience. Studies consistently demonstrate that peer support services lead to: → 50% reduction in psychiatric hospitalizations → 21% decrease in overall healthcare costs → Improved medication adherence and treatment engagement → Significant decreases in substance use and improved quality of life As Selene Toffoli, one of our peer specialists, shares: "I'm not less of a mess than I used to be, but I have found ways to make the mess work for me. I think that's part of the beauty of peer support. You don't have to be perfect to make an impact." Marchell Taylor, who provides peer support for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, tells the people he works with: "I am inspired by them – that they are a survivor and that inspires me to keep going." After his own suicide attempt six years ago, he exemplifies how peer specialists offer hope through shared recovery experience. The data matters, but so does this: Real hope in mental health recovery looks like believing things can shift, finding someone who truly gets it, and knowing support exists when you're ready. Colorado Medicaid covers peer support services at WellPower. When community partners understand both the evidence AND the human impact, we can better serve those who need it most. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4pxXP6D or call (303) 504-7900 #MentalHealthMatters #PeerSupport #HealthcareLeadership #EvidenceBasedCare #MedicaidWorks #WellPowerDenver

Is your teen pulling away? You're not alone in this fear. As we observe Suicide Prevention Month, WellPower's STAY SAFE partnership director William (Bill) Phelps, MSW LCSW, addresses one of parents' most terrifying experiences - discovering their child may be considering suicide. In this essential 90-second video, Bill debunks a dangerous myth and confirms that talking about suicide does NOT increase risk. In fact, reaching out is the best thing you can do. Warning signs often mistaken for "normal" teen behavior: → Increased irritability or anger → Isolating in their room → Withdrawing from conversation → Expressing hopelessness Three ways to connect with your struggling teen: 1. Express care without bombarding with questions 2. Simply be present - watch a movie or play a game together 3. Stay available - let them know you're there when they're ready "Just being there and expressing concern for their well-being is enough," Bill explains. Your presence matters more than finding the perfect words. What makes STAY SAFE unique: As Colorado's first program of its kind, we use attachment-based therapy to strengthen parent-teen relationships during crisis. Unlike traditional approaches, we support the entire family - providing therapy for both parents and teens, helping parents manage their own anxiety while learning to reconnect with their child. Our intensive support helps create rapid stabilization often without hospitalization. When to seek help: Any time your child expresses suicidal thoughts, reach out immediately. 📞 STAY SAFE: (303) 504-7900 📧 staysafe@wellpower.org 🆘 24/7/365 Crisis Line: 988 We're grateful for local and national partners like Denver Health, Denver Public Schools, 988 Colorado Mental Health Line, The American Association of Suicidology, NAMI Colorado, Mental Health Colorado and more who help us support families in crisis. #SuicidePreventionMonth #TeenMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #ParentingSupport #ColoradoMentalHealth #AttachmentTherapy #YouthMentalHealth

Denver proved something the rest of America is still debating: Mental health crises deserve mental health responses. For 10 years, our Co-Responder teams have embedded clinicians with police, transforming encounters from enforcement to care. STAR, now in its 5th year, took it further — removing police from mental health calls entirely. The revolution isn't just in the numbers (though 98% of Co-Responder calls ending without arrest is staggering). It's in what changes when communities can trust emergency response again. When families in crisis call 911, they get clinicians who grew up in these neighborhoods. Who understand that behind every crisis call is someone's son, mother, neighbor. Who know, as one team member shared, that they're "providing help to people who don't know who we are, what we do, want anything to do with the situation they're in, but are in significant need." What does this mean for Denver? → Parents call for help without fearing their child will be arrested → Officers request backup that de-escalates instead of escalates → Emergency departments see patients, not prisoners → The same person in crisis gets connected to care, not cycled through jail This week, as we celebrate National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Week, we're not just honoring programs. We're celebrating the professionals who risk their safety daily to prove that compassion works better than control. Who've been mistaken for everything from police recruits to Amazon workers, but who are actually architecting the future of emergency response. "It feels like the state legislature is not only affirming our profession, but our overall impact within communities across Colorado," reflects Jonathan VanTreeck, LCSW with STAR. "I am deeply moved to be part of an evolving nationwide effort responding to crises different than the status quo." After 10 years of Co-Responder service and 5 years of STAR innovation, Denver has become a national model. Because when crisis response changes, everything changes. Thank you to our Co-Responder and STAR teams for showing up every day with compassionate care instead of incarceration. Learn how: https://bit.ly/3KlBoBw #CoResponderWeek #CrisisResponse #SystemChange #MentalHealthInnovation

Our CEO, James Greer, and Service Success Manager Bobbi Halfhill discuss the challenges facing Denver mental health—and how we can respond together. Your voice and action can make the difference. Watch the full conversation in the post below. ⬇️

Need a healing space today? Sometimes the best therapy is art, music and community. 🎨 WellPower is proud to sponsor Lindsley Park Art Festival – because we know well-being happens beyond clinical walls. When communities gather to create, connect and celebrate, mental health thrives. Join us TODAY through 5 p.m.! Free admission, local artists, live music and activities for all ages. 📍 4601 E. Hale Parkway, Denver ⏰ 11 a.m.–5 p.m. TODAY 💚 FREE – no one turned away Register at link below or just come as you are. https://bit.ly/3VNcZY6 #CommunityHealing #DenverStrong #PoweringWellBeing #LindsleyParkArtFestival #MentalHealthMatters

How mental health organizations can innovate in addressing food security 🌱 Our Dahlia Campus Seasonal Farm Box program demonstrates integrated well-being support. Each week through Oct. 7, community members access affordable fresh produce ($10/box, SNAP accepted) while building social connections at our Tuesday Farmers Market. The stop-motion video showcases the practical variety within each subscription—up to 5 vegetables from 30+ varieties grown on-site, providing families with fresh ingredients for weekly meals. But the impact extends beyond nutrition. The 4-6:30 p.m. market at our Northeast Park Hill location (3401 Eudora St, Denver) creates opportunities for informal mental health support, community building and connection with nature. With SNAP acceptance and flexible cancellation policies, we're removing barriers to both fresh food and community engagement. This model shows how mental health organizations can address multiple social determinants of health simultaneously. Explore this innovative approach: https://bit.ly/4jiO1Kd #FoodSecurity #MentalHealthInnovation #CommunityHealth #SocialDeterminants #WellBeing #IntegratedCare #PoweringWellBeing

Ever wondered how to reach kids beyond traditional therapy? WellPower therapist Braulio Rivera discovered something remarkable during the pandemic: the same pre-adolescent boys who typically miss appointments and struggle to open up NEVER miss their Minecraft therapy sessions. In this MindSite News feature, learn how our team transformed a popular video game into a powerful therapeutic tool that's helping kids from ages 6-18 process everything from bullying to depression. The results? Kids who once struggled to connect are now building virtual safe spaces, creating community and counting down days until their next session. Some have even "graduated" to join in-person soccer teams and after-school clubs—exactly the real-world connections we hope to foster. Key insights from our program: → 53% of kids 6-8 and 68% of kids 9-12 already play Minecraft → Daily therapy groups serve a wide range of populations, including LGBTQ+ youth and neurodivergent children → Research shows significant improvements in depression symptoms and social confidence → The virtual WellPower building has become a healing community space Read how we're meeting young people where they are—literally in their virtual worlds: https://bit.ly/4nxwyjf We're grateful to MindSite News for this thoughtful piece highlighting the innovative work happening in youth mental health. #MentalHealthInnovation #YouthTherapy #DigitalHealth #BehavioralHealth #TherapeuticInnovation

We are shocked and saddened by the shooting at Evergreen High School today. As a community organization made up of mental health professionals, educators, students, parents and a wide range of other compassionate humans, we know that these events are particularly devastating when they occur close to home. If you or someone you know needs support, WellPower’s Walk-In Center at 4353 Colfax Ave. is always open. For immediate support 24/7, call or text 988. And for specialized support for youth, visit I Matter Colorado at imattercolorado.org. 988 Colorado Mental Health Line