The article was originally published in 2022 and updated in 2026.

Nearly 1.2 million adults in Colorado have a mental health condition and many don’t have access to help in their communities. Here are some local and national mental health resources.

In March 2025, the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Colorado reported that 1,186,000 adults in Colorado have a mental health condition. The Colorado stats are sobering:

• 1 in 5 adults experience a mental illness each year
• 103,000 adolescents experience a major depressive episode each year
• 1 in 4 of the 14,000+ people in Colorado who are unhoused have a serious mental illness
• 1 in 20 adults have serious thoughts of suicide each year
• 63,000 Colorado adolescents aged 12-17 have serious thoughts of suicide each year
• 1,293 lives were lost to suicide in Colorado in 2022

As audiences often witness in theatre productions, youth are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure, lack of acceptance and parental expectations. Those factors can adversely impact the mental health of children and teens.

Colorado has joined a national movement to raise awareness around mental health, fight stigma, and support those with mental health conditions and their families. Locally, the Colorado Department of Human Services provides a list of resources for teens and their guardians, many of which are noted below:

HOTLINES

Colorado Mental Health Line: call or text 988

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call or text 988

Safe2Tell Colorado: call 877-542-7233

SERVICES & RESOURCES

Ascent: a community-based program that provides treatment and support to youth and young adults 15-29 years old who may be experiencing an early onset of psychosis.

CDPHE Office of Suicide Prevention: offers a guide for talking about suicide with youth

COACT Colorado: mental health support for families

The Center/Rainbow Alley: a safe space where LGBTQ youth find support and acceptance

Cherry Creek Collective for Mental Health offers a mental health support group for young adults ages 19-28. The group meets every Wednesday from 7-9pm at 1325 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste. B-108. Cost per session is $50-80.

I Matter: free mental health support for Colorado youth

National Federation of Families: worksheets, videos and activities to spark conversations about mental health

UCHealth Behavioral Care: assistance for individuals to overcome mental health challenges and addiction disorders

Virtual DBT Skills Group meets every Thursday from 7-8:30pm to address dialectical behavior. Cost is $70-80 per session.

For help with any mental health, substance use or emotional concern, call or text Colorado Crisis Services at 988. Trained professionals provide free, immediate and confidential help. Learn more at coloradocrisisservices.org.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Area Resources for Addiction Treatment, Mental Health Support

Area Resources for Victims of Domestic Abuse

Area Resources for LGBTQ+ Youth

Reentry Programs: Assistance After Incarceration

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) NewsCenter is the organization’s editorial platform for stories, announcements, interviews, and coverage of theatre and cultural programming in Colorado. We are committed to producing accurate, trustworthy, clearly sourced journalism that reflects our mission and serves our community.