School-based Health Centers Grow with Donor Support 

Last year, donors committed nearly $4 million to support Denver’s young people. In 2024, Denver Health’s SBHCs will benefit from the generous contributions from our dedicated supporters. These substantial gifts serve as catalysts for positive change, allowing Denver Health to embark on a journey of innovation and progress.

Donor impact resonates across a spectrum of initiatives, projects, and programs designed to address our community’s diverse needs:

• The Anschutz Foundation has generously provided a two-year grant to strengthen school-based health initiatives. This funding encompasses youth mental health services at Denver Public Schools.
• Caring for Denver Foundation has funded the TRUST (Therapeutic Response and Urgent Stabilization Team) initiative, enhancing crisis response in collaboration with DPS. This resource swiftly addresses emergencies affecting students, offering timely therapy or medication management within 24 hours for urgent safety concerns. Beyond crisis intervention, the TRUST team ensures access to comprehensive school-based health services, including care coordination, medical, health education, and dental services for referred students.
• Caring for Denver Foundation also has backed the introduction of youth advisory services. Young people utilize a healing centered engagement framework for addressing youth mental health through the SBHCs and youth-led school/community projects fostering resilience.
• The Denver Post Community Foundation, via its Season to Share program, has strengthened the STEP (Substance Abuse Treatment Education & Prevention) program within SBHCs. The goal is to cultivate a resilient and knowledgeable community prepared to address the complexities of substance use disorder among young people.
• Individuals like Susan and Lee McIntire and Crown Family Philanthropies have given generously to support SBHCs, specifically to support mental and behavioral health efforts within DPS.
• The Buell Foundation supports the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) program, which annually delivers over 120 child and family-focused consultations to various local organizations. In addition, 12 Head Start classrooms will receive targeted consultation services, while 20 Head Start professionals undergo Relationship-based Reflective Processing (RRP) with an ECMHC. The program also intends to offer early childhood mental health training to 200 Head Start and Early Head Start staff upon request.
• Both the Caring for Colorado Foundation and The Guber Family Giving Fund have generously awarded grants to support gender affirming care and practitioner training at SBHCs. This funding will contribute to creating a more inclusive health care environment, ensuring that students of all gender identities accessing SBHCs receive specialized and affirming care for their needs.
• Thanks to Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, teledentistry is expanding oral health accessibility, reaching students at Denver Health SBHCs.

These targeted initiatives, made possible by the invaluable support of Denver Health Foundation donors, reflect Denver Health’s commitment to accessible health care for everyone. SBHCs are not just spaces for treatment—they are dynamic hubs for positive change, where innovation meets compassion to create a healthier and more resilient community.