Colorado Spirit helped Larimer County residents manage and cope with changes from the COVID-19 pandemic

Larimer County’s Colorado Spirit Program Ended March 21, 2022

From July 2020 to March 2022, Colorado Spirit was a crisis response unit whose mission was to support people impacted by the challenges of COVID-19. We were free, anonymous and worked in non-clinical and virtual settings designed to strengthen existing community support systems.

The Colorado Spirit support line provided a safe, anonymous outlet for those who experiencing a number of emotions due to the effects of the pandemic. Trained counselors were available to talk to people of all ages experiencing anxiety, depression, hopelessness, worry or even cabin-fever.

Colorado Spirit was funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with oversight by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

The Larimer County Colorado Spirit team is grateful for the opportunity to support our community and we thank you for welcoming us so warmly. The program kicked off in July 2020 and over the next 20 months we provided one-on-one support, attended events, hosted virtual groups, gave presentations, fielded calls, and worked vaccinations sites to log over 20,000 support interactions.

Help for residents is still available from other local and national sources to provide Larimer County residents with COVID-19 resources.

Health District of Northern Larimer County
If you are feeling out of sorts and just need someone to talk to, call the Connections emotional support line at (970) 221-5551, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. COVID-19 support services are available at no charge. For more information, healthdistrict.org/services/connections-adult-services

SummitStone Crisis Line If you are in crisis, call the SummitStone Crisis Line 24/7 at (970) 494-4200, ext. 4, or the Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255, text TALK to 38255, or call 911.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline

1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information. (SAMSHA is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).

Thank you for your time, support and partnership during this period of rebuilding our vital Colorado Spirit!

Our Support of Our Community

Colorado Spirit had a support line and offered free, anonymous and confidential calls. We ran weekly, fun virtual events with activities for a variety of free experiences: games, travel, museum tours, animal habitats, history and more. For businesses and organizations, we gave short, tailored presentations on: recognizing common reactions to disasters, building coping skills for the recovery process, managing disaster-related stress, and identifying and meeting children’s needs.

Our “Let’s Talk” Campaign

We asked the community to consider sharing one or more of these images to social media. We promoted hashtags like #Covid19Colorado #ColoradoSpirit #LarimerCounty

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPIRIT PROGRAM

How was the Colorado Spirit program funded?

Colorado Spirit was funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with oversight by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and SummitStone Health Partners. Crisis counselors, working closely with community organizations, were able to distribute available resources and refer survivors to behavioral health treatment and other services in the community. Services were provided at no cost and were available to anyone impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The support line was available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What local providers were part of Colorado Spirit?

For more than 60 years, SummitStone Health Partners has transformed lives through recovery, renewal and respect by providing unsurpassed behavioral health prevention, intervention and treatment services in Larimer County. SummitStone provides more than 50 services dedicated to treating mental health and addiction disorders for people of all ages. We are the largest behavioral health provider of Medicaid in Larimer County. All donations (92%) are invested in direct services to our clients, 22% of whom are children. SummitStone Health Partners is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Colorado Spirit was a non-emergency support line. What are the emergency hotlines for crisis or suicide?

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals

Call or Text 1-800-273-8255
Options for Deaf/Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889
En Español – Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454

SummitStone Crisis Services offers free, confidential, professional, 24/7 support

If you or someone you know is experiencing a self-defined behavioral health crisis, call 1 (844) 493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255. We can help manage your situation, provide immediate support and consultation, and connect you to resources. You can also call SummitStone directly at (970) 494-4200 anytime day or night.

Visit our Crisis Services page for more information.