The Courier | El Paso County Newsletter - March 2023

COURIER EDITORIAL BOARD

Welcome to the March issue of the El Paso County Courier. This month, we focus on mental health and how El Paso County tackles this ongoing issue. El Paso County continues to partner with local organizations to combat and raise awareness for mental health conditions and support. Raising awareness and promoting resources is one of the most powerful methods of counteracting the struggles many people experience.

This issue will highlight some of our partnerships and programs targeting the mental health topic. You will see that we have partnerships with Lyra Health, Forge Evolution, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Crossroads Turning Points, Suicide Prevention, and more. We will also show what some of the County departments, such as the Public Health Department, Human Resources & Risk Management Department, Community Services Department, and the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, are doing to combat mental health in our community.

r e a k T h r o u g h

Have you ever stepped outside on a particularly foggy day and thought to yourself, “I could cut through this with a knife”? This is the kind of fog that won’t allow you to see your hand unless it’s a foot away from your face. While it may be a rare occurrence, most people can understand the idea. For Colorado Springs resident Sandy Snider though, this was a daily challenge – not because of extreme weather patterns, but because she didn’t know where to go.

Sandy moved to Colorado Springs in 1992 with her three children to take advantage of more opportunities for her family. She worked mostly in the service industry but found joy as a substitute teacher in 2005 and continued in that career for years

In 2021, her 42-year-old son was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Soon after, her son had a stroke, which caused a blood clot in his heart that made its way up to his brain. While Sandy credits the hospital for saving her son’s life, irreversible damage was done to the cognitive area of her son’s brain.

“It changed him into a different person with different needs that I didn’t understand,” Sandy said. “Sometimes he behaved like a man, but other times you would think he was a preschooler.”

Things came to a head when Sandy was visited by her neighbor. The neighbor had mentioned that Sandy’s son had walked over and talked about being suicidal.

B“I was at the end of my rope,” Sandy recalls. “Between trying to take care of my son and managing everything else, I quickly fell into a deep state of depression.”

To hear more, listen to Sandy's episode on Beyond the Dais.

Fortunately, one point of advice from this same neighbor helped Sandy break through the fog she felt enveloped in. He simply stated, “Call NAMI”.

“I took a chance,” Sandy said. “It immediately paid off. NAMI was immediately interested in me. They asked if I was safe and if there was anything they could do for me. I thought I was alone in this, but they showed that they were there and that they cared.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with mental illness. They offer programs and support groups that are peer-led and always free to the community. They are also just one of many nonprofit organizations focused on mental health wellness that have received support from El Paso County in the form of grant funding.

Other organizations focused on mental health and wellness include the Suicide Prevention Partnership, CASA, The Place, Heartspace Kids, Inc , and many more. Services offered cover a wide range from homelessness, mental wellbeing and advocacy, and youth-specific programs. In other words, if you are looking for assistance, it’s out there.

Sandy’s connection with NAMI led her to attend support groups and classes that gave her valuable insights into ways to not just manage her situation, but gradually overcome it.

In Sandy’s own words – “There is help. You can get through the fog. You really don’t have to be alone.”

There is help. You can get through the fog. You really don’t have to be alone. I thought I was alone in this, but they showed that they were there and that they cared.

American Rescue Plan Act

Community Impact Grant

MENTALHEALTHRESILIENCY

$5M

CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND GREATER ACCESS TO ASSISTANCE

MOUNTAIN SPRINGS CHURCH

NAMI

SILVER KEY SENIOR SERVICES

SUICIDE PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP

TESSA

UCCS

ASPENPOINTE HEALTH SERVICES

CROSSFIRE MINISTRIES

MT. CARMEL VETERANS SERVICE CENTER

DREAM CENTERS

FORGE EVOLUTION

ATLAS PREPATORY SCHOOL

DANCE ALLIANCE OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION

GARDEN OF THE GODS FOUNDATION

PRIDE SOCCER ASSOCIATION

COLORADO SPRINGS SPORTS CORPORATION

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

SOCO ATHLETIC CLUB - SOCCER

COLORADO SPRINGS CONSERVATORY FOUNDATION

THE CATAMOUNT INSTITUTE

CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER FOR THE PIKES PEAK REGION

COLORADO SPRINGS CHILD NURSERY CENTERS

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT

CASA

USOPM

INSIDE OUT

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOMEN'S FILM

THE PLACE

JOINT INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES

HEARTSPACE KIDS, INC.

SAVIO HOUSE

MINDFULNESS & POSITIVITY PROJECT

KINGDOM BUILDERS FAMILY LIFE CENTER

CONVERGE LECTURE SERIES

This month, El Paso County is highlighting mental health efforts around our region. We know that the current mental health crisis is a challenge to all of our residents, whether it be dealing with hardships in one’s own life or in the life of a loved one. Many County departments and offices offer programs or services to encourage mental health that serve our residents by enabling them to live life to the fullest.

Here, we want to highlight what the County is doing to combat the mental health crisis. Enjoy relevant content From the Public Health Department, the Human Resources & Risk Management Department, the Community Services Department, and the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

NINE NINE T T FIVE FIVE

Human Resources

El Paso County has been partnering with Lyra Health since 2021 to provide our employees and their families with fast access to high-quality, evidence-based mental health care providers, coaches, and digital wellness tools all with the goal of helping them feel better faster. Whether they are looking for self-care resources or need help tackling heavier problems, Lyra has supported our employees and their families throughout every stage in their mental health journey.

El Paso County Public Health &

transportation scarcity. The local Colorado State University Extension, run through the El Paso County Community Services Department, has partnered with El Paso County Public Health to take action against this crisis.

The partnership is a collaborative effort led by El Paso County Public Health and supported by a $147,000 USDA planning grant that includes CSU Extension, El Paso County, JH Consulting, LLC, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and the City of Colorado Springs Office of Innovation. The goal of the partnership is to support the local economy of farmers, food suppliers, and residents by establishing a baseline understanding of the area's food systems and developing a strategic plan that will facilitate better connections between farmers and consumers. The hope is that through the program, farmers are resourced and supported to stay in business and local residents dealing with food insecurity are educated about local food systems and connected to local farmers who can help them stay healthy.

As the grant funding culminates over the next year, stakeholder groups will be consulted as the program uses grant funds to promote health, increase food security, and fuel the local farming economy. To stay up to date on this program and the food systems of our region, please visit https://elpaso.extension.colostate.edu/about-localfoods/. If you are in need of immediate assistance for food security, please contact the Department of Human Services by visiting Colorado.gov/PEAK.

4th Judicial District Attorney's Office

The District Attorney’s Office has recently implemented a wellness program for all 250 of its employees. As part of the program, the office is providing funding for two counseling sessions per employee per year in addition to bringing in experts to lead two resiliency workshops for all employees. Our staff work very hard in the pursuit of justice and our office regularly handles over 30,000 cases per year. We believe that these trainings are a step in helping facilitate and promote employee wellness. The District Attorney’s Office is committed to employee wellness as it is a vital aspect in upholding our mission to administer justice and advocate for victims of crime.

Parks & Recreation

How lucky we are! Residents of El Paso County are blessed to have nature’s artwork at their fingertips. North, South, East, or West; pick a direction and you will find a treasure trove of amazing views, beautiful landscapes, and serene wildlife.

When was the last time you enjoyed these amenities? The great outdoors of our region provides an organic and natural way to relax, recharge, and refocus amid the fast-paced day-to-day duties of maintaining one’s home, family, work, and personal life for tourists and locals alike. So take a moment for yourself and enjoy our beautiful area; you deserve it! To see a full list of El Paso County’s parks, visit https://communityservices.elpasoco.com/parks-and-recreation/.

EL PASO COUNTY, COLORADO

OUR CORE VALUES

SERVICE FOCUSED ACCOUNTABLE TRANSPARENT

We make a difference in our community by serving the residents of El Paso County.

We are responsive to community needs. We are good stewards of County resources.

We are open, honest, and respectful in our work and communication.

TRUSTWORTHY COLLABORATIVE

We foster a county government that works for all. We inspire employees to passionately give their best while leveraging community partnerships for the meaningful benefit of our residents.

We listen to our community and act with honesty and respect in our interactions with co-workers and those we serve. We adhere to laws, policies, procedures, and professional standards.

Mental health issues can have a profound impact on every aspect of law enforcement, from routine encounters on the street, to court appearances to incarceration. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) is committed to ensuring their workforce is well-trained and ready to respond to the mental health needs of the community. The Sheriff’s Office partnered with El Paso County Public Health in 2017 to secure a grant to bring a Co-Responder policing model to rural and unincorporated areas of the county.

In 2018, The El Paso County Sheriff's Office deployed a new patrol unit called the Behavioral Health Connect (BHCON) Unit to help address mental health issues in the community. The BHCON Unit pairs an El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy with a Licensed Behavioral Health Clinician for a coordinated response to emergency calls that are mental health-related. The BHCON Unit is an example of an innovative and effective way to address the needs of people experiencing mental health issues.

In the Region

The success of the EPSO BHCON Unit has attracted attention from law enforcement and behavioral health agencies across the country looking to implement a similar model. In 2021, the Fountain Police Department partnered with EPSO to bring on additional BHCON units.

The Fountain BHCON units help cover mental health-related calls across the entire EPSO Jurisdiction. The Unit has also been the subject of governmental policy and legislative research efforts.

BHCON team members also play a role in facilitating CIT and mental healthrelated trainings for EPSO personnel and other local law enforcement agencies. The Unit is partially funded by a grant from the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration. EPSO funds all sworn members of the team, the program manager and the majority of the equipment. The BHCON Unit is a partnership between the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the El Paso County Department of Health and UCHealth.

Committed to serving our community

B H C O N U N I T G O A L S

Provide crisis intervention response to individuals experiencing a mental health emergency

Provide follow-up, to ensure a continuum of care and access to resources

Support increased training to deputies on improved law enforcement responses to behavioral health calls through Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and mental healthrelated trainings

Prevent unnecessary incarceration and/or hospitalization of mentally ill individuals by connecting them with appropriate care in the least restrictive environment

Promote an information campaign for families, friends, neighbors and communities about mental health awareness, decreasing the stigma of mental illness and encouraging individuals to seek help

Facilitate the return of law enforcement units to patrol activities and emergency vehicles back into rotation

BHCON UNIT WINS

SINCE THE PROGRAM’S INCEPTION IN JULY OF 2018 THRU DECEMBER 31, 2022

4630

CALLS FOR SERVICE

99%

DIVERSION RATE

Attempted 3852 follow ups with individuals

Serviced 1071 referrals from EPSO and other surrounding jurisdictions

When responding to calls and referrals, treated individuals in place 2,977 times (with 5701 referrals and calls = 52% of the time)

When responding to calls and referrals, placed individuals on a mental health or emergency commitment hold 566 times (10% of the time)

Released 2506 cover cars back into service to respond to higher priority calls

HOW CAN I...

REPORT A POTHOLE

REPORT TRASH REMOVAL

REPORT ANIMAL/ WILDLIFE ISSUE

REPORT ROAD REPAIR NEED

CONTACT A COMMISSIONER

REPORT TUMBLEWEED IN THE RIGHT OF WAY

El Paso County has upgraded the Citizen Connect website and application. Connect with us now and report an issue or connect with your commissioner. Scan code below or visit: CITIZENCONNECT.ELPASOCO.COM

Viewpoint

A collection of photos from the region

M a r c h

SCAN CODE FOR MORE INFO

9 AM | 200 South Cascade Avenue 80903

Our elected officials will be having their weekly Board of County Commissioners meeting at Centennial Hall Auditorium.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 07

6:30 PM | Whittemore Building, Calhan, Co

BOOTS IN THE PARK 11

The Annual fundraiser at the El Paso County Fair & Events Center features a Casino Night with games, prizes, music & food!

SUSTAINABILITY SERIES 15

16

6 - 7 PM | Bear Creek Nature Center

Join us in learning about the many challenges faced in the breeding program and in the wild

NATURE'S CLASSROOM

1 - 3:30 PM | Bear Creek Nature Center

Come learn all about freshwater fishing as we explore the exciting opportunities our state has to offer

ADULT BIRDING CLUB 16

2x per month | Fountain Creek Nature Center

Become a more experienced, confident birder over the next year by slowly learning details, tips, and tricks each month!

NATURE THERAPY

1 - 3 PM | Bear Creek Nature Center

Release all your stresses and worries with a Forest Bathing Walk with Listening Pines