RAVI’S PROVIDER UPDATES
Dear Summit County Mental Health Professionals,
Happy New Year! We hope this message finds you well. Enclosed please find a slew of updates for your perusal. Please contact ravi@
Building Hope News
Building Hope has released our new community wide online calendar! Here you can share and advertise your mental health related event offerings. Please read this document for more information and to learn about the “rules” of the community calendar. You will use this form to submit calendar requests. Please reach out to Dylan with any questions.
Scholarship Program News
A few important scholarship program announcements and reminders:
1. If you start seeing a client with an old scholarship voucher number, please reach out to Ravi so he can give you the history of the scholarship and how many available sessions the client currently has. *We cannot pay for sessions that occur outside of the approved session count amount*
2. As the year is coming to a close, we would like to stay informed of any changes you or your practice are making in 2024, such as changes to accepted insurances, staffing changes, etc. This helps us be as effective as possible with our mental health care coordination services and scholarship appointments. Please email Ravi with any of these expected changes coming to your practice in 2024.
3. New reimbursement rates are coming in 2024 to our Mountain Strong scholarship provider network. Please be on the lookout for new agreements that need to be signed in Mountain Strong by January 1st, 2024 in order to receive the new rates.
**PLEASE NOTE: if you do not sign you will retain the lower rates from 2023**
Monthly Community-Wide Navigation Zoom Meeting – Wed, 12/20 at 9am
Building Hope merged our larger, agency/organizational, mental health navigation meeting with our smaller monthly therapist/provider meeting. Each month will alternate between presentations from the community and individual updates. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, 12/20 at 9am. This month (December) will be dedicated to hearing updates from our community partners and attendees.
Click this link to add the meeting to your calendar, or if that doesn’t work feel free to email Ravi to be added. Alternatively, here is the Zoom link for your reference.
Immediate Access Program News
Mid 2021, Building Hope worked with several partner agencies and private providers to create the Immediate Access Program. This program was originally developed to respond to the need for quicker access to therapy appointments and fill a gap that was evident in the community due to a lack of service provision by the then functioning CMHC. Building Hope is excited that now in 2023, Vail Health Behavioral Health (VHBH) has joined the Summit County community as the Community Mental Health Center, increasing access to care, wrap-around services of case management, peer support, psychiatric services and more. Over the next several months, Building Hope will be working with VHBH and Immediate Access Program partners to transition the clients in need of immediate access slots to our new CMHC, Vail Health Behavioral Health. The immediate access program was originally founded as a gap service and funded through Strong Future funding. Now that Summit County has a present CMHC that is meant to provide these services, funded through state funds and reimbursable means, our community can rely on VHBH to care for these needs and allow the community Strong Future funds to be better utilized in other community programs.
Additionally, a new mobile crisis provider will be entering the Summit County mental health landscape in early 2024, further enhancing our community crisis response and wrap around support for our community members. Building Hope will be working with current immediate access providers to decrease the slots available through the shared calendar and increase the referrals being sent to VHBH for these needs. It is with great success that this program has been meeting the needs of the community and we are so thankful that the community can begin to phase out the Building Hope immediate access program by mid-2024.
Here is the referral process VHBH would like for Summit County providers to follow at this time:
-Outpatient therapy and psychiatry referrals can get emailed directly to Paige Braxton, Director of Outpatient Services directly: paige.braxton@
-Clients in crisis can get referred directly to Paige via email for a risk assessment and/or immediate access therapy with “immediate access needed” or “crisis client” in the subject line (or some other indication that this is a high acuity/time sensitive referral)
This program is an example of the incredible work that Summit County partners do together- taking a need, assessing the options available, working collaboratively, and solving a problem for our community members. We, at Building Hope, feel truly grateful for all of you who have stepped up in big ways for your community through the development and function of this program. We understand and acknowledge that change is challenging and we do not suspect a totally flaw-free transition of this program, yet we know that this community can work together to support new partners and ensure Summit County is taken care of.
Thank you for all of your work and continued partnership.
Upcoming FREE Provider Workshops
Art as Therapy Workshop: Building Hope, in conjunction with CSU-Extension, invites local providers to participate in this FREE workshop to learn more about art therapy interventions and how they can use art in a therapeutic way with their clients. December 12th, 6:30-9:30pm
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Training (PMAD 101): Learn to recognize and address PMADS, the most common obstetric complication at our FREE upcoming Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Training. Presented by the Parent and Family Wellness
Center and Building Hope Summit County. Wednesday, January 10th, 12pm-1:30pm
NEW in 2024 – Building Hope’s Community Calendar
In January 2024, Building Hope is rolling out a “Community Calendar” on our website. This community calendar is meant to be a space for us to share and advertise our partners’ mental health related events. We are hoping this will be beneficial for community members to have one place to go to find different groups, events, and workshops happening in the county. If you or your agency is interested in having your events posted to our community calendar, please read this document for more information and to learn about the “rules” of the community calendar. You will use this form to submit calendar requests.
Please reach out to Dylan with any questions.
We hope to see you at our next provider mixer TOMORROW December 7th!
Summit Daily: Behavioral health funding requests…
Click here to read the Summit Daily article about Strong Future funding in 2024.
Community Partner News
Front Range Clinic Offering Psychiatry Appointments!
FRC is now offering psychiatric services to patients in Summit County. FRC can treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar, schizophrenia, OCD, and more. No specific diagnoses are restricted, but they are not a crisis center and should not be used as such. FRC does not prescribe ANY controlled substances through their psych clinic – this includes benzodiazepines and stimulants. Dual-diagnosis is a great fit for FRC’s psych services. Patients are typically seen virtually every 2-4 weeks and will need to be established in the MAT clinic prior, but do not necessarily need to be on any MAT medications. *FRC can see folks who do not have a SUD but all patients will be seen by an SUD/MAT provider first, so please prepare clients you are referring to FRC that this is their process*
Mountain Dreamers Newcomers
This program is aimed at helping newcomers- residents in Summit County who have recently moved to the USA from the South border. If you know of any new families in the area, please refer them to us! You can contact Miriam (who is CC’d in this email) or send an email to her at miriam@mountaindreamers.org
Mountain Top Explorium
Mountain Top Explorium is currently providing free Explorium access to families on SNAP and Medicaid. See flyer below for more information.
Save the Date – Charlie’s Walk and Mental Health Fair
NAMI HCC and the Town of Silverthorne are putting an event on to honor Charlie Foster on January 7th, 2024 from 1pm-4:30pm. If your agency is interested in being a part of the mental health fair during this event, please contact Darla Whinston at mtndarla@aol.com for more information.
Rock to Recover
Hello fellow mental and behavioral health providers,
My name is Eric Turner and I am a Certified Addiction Technician with Slopeside Counseling. I’m also the founder of a new nonprofit organization called Rock To Recover. Our mission is to establish safe and no cost events for community members to create music together while fostering positive mental health and reducing substance use through discussion and peer support, developing sober relationships, providing education to reduce stigma, and facilitating access to mental health and substance abuse resources. We lead by example to show that recovery and improved mental health are possible!
For additional information please see the attached flyer and schedule of events. Please feel free to contact us and share this information with your clients.
I appreciate your time and consideration.
Eric Turner BS, CAT, CAMS-I
Rock To Recover
President and Executive Director
(970) 406 – 8053
3rd Menopause Support Group with Grit Therapy
Continuing Education Opportunities
Speak Up Reach Out Continuing Education Opportunity
What: Dismantling the Silo: A framework to increase workforce capacity to understand, treat, and care for individuals with substance use disorders
When: Friday, December 8, 2023
Time: 11:00-1:00 PM MST
Where: Colorado Mountain College Auditorium, 150 Miller Ranch Road, Edwards, CO 81632
** Lunch will be provided
**This program includes 2.0 CE. approved by The University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology
**Please register here
Colorado In-Person PSI Perinatal Mental Health Training Registration & Scholarships Now Open
Mark your calendar for February 7-8, 2024, when PSI will be hosting an in-person, 2-Day Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care Perinatal Mental Health Training in Denver, location TBA.
This training is perfect for nurses, physicians, social workers, mental health providers, childbirth professionals, social support providers, and anyone else interested in becoming an even better support for the new moms and parents they work with. This training qualifies as Step 1 for the PSI Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) Exam.
The training will be held in the Denver Metro area on February 7-8th, 2024, with an Advanced PMD Psychotherapy Training
Apply for a Scholarship
CO-PSI is excited to offer a limited number of scholarships that cover the full $425 registration fee for the upcoming PSI 2-Day Components of Care to Colorado professionals. You must be a resident of Colorado to be considered!
Applicants working in rural areas and/or with under-resourced and/or disproportionately impacted populations of Colorado are encouraged to apply.
Applications are due by 5PM on Monday, December 4th 2023. IMPORTANT: Please note that you must apply for a scholarship and be awarded a scholarship BEFORE registering for the training. (We are unable to provide reimbursement for existing/previous registrations). The
Please reach out to co-psi@postpartum.net with any questions about this opportunity!
How High Levels of THC Impact Adults and Children
The Northwest Colorado Health Partnership wanted to share this recording from Dr. LaTisha Bader of Women’s Recovery discussing the impacts of THC on adults and children in hopes that it might support you in your work with clients. CEs are not available for viewing the recording.
WEBINAR: Learn About the Future of Psychedelic Therapy in Colorado
Next year, healthcare providers across the state will have an opportunity to offer groundbreaking mental health services to their patients and clients with regulated psilocybin therapy. As a provider or advocate for mental health, you know better than most the challenges we face when it comes to mental health services.
With one of the highest national rates of adults needing support for their mental and behavioral health, combined with broad disparities in access to quality care, psychedelic therapies are a powerful alternative to include as a pathway to well-being. Psilocybin has been granted Breakthrough Therapy status by the FDA for treatment resistant depression, and a growing body of research from leading medical institutions like Johns Hopkins and UCLA demonstrates its potential to effectively address a wide range of mental and behavioral health concerns.
Register here to attend.
A Message from FIRC re: MH Navigation Program
Hello FIRC Community Partners,
We wanted to share with you that the Mental Health Navigation Program has come to an end here at the FIRC. For many years we have been filling a need in the community by offering Mental Health Navigation as a stopgap, since professional Mental Health resources for Spanish and English-speaking clients were very hard to come by. Thanks to vision of County Government and Building Hope, these much-needed services are now being offered in our community through Strong Futures funding and more services. Thus, FIRC has seen a significant decrease over the last year in the need for Navigation services overall and we have come to the decision that our services are duplicating what is being offered in the community, and so, are no longer needed.
Conversations at the county level were held to determine what was best for the continuity of mental health care in in the community, but most importantly, to ensure clients had resources to go to, avoiding foreseeable gaps. FIRC will keep our website self-referrals to mental health navigation active until the end of December. Those referrals will be routed directly to Building Hope. Starting January 2024 our website will still provide mental health resources for our community, but in the form of links and phone numbers to Building Hope, Vail Health Behavioral Health, and Mile High Behavioral Health. Additionally, it is important to note that our Peer Programs are still being offered. Both ALMA and ACCION provide mental health support for our Latinx community in the form of peer groups and one-on-one sessions with Compañeras/os.
We want to thank you, our community partners, for the support and referrals to our Mental Health Navigation program over the years! It has been a pleasure working with you all, and we hope to continue those relationships but in different contexts and capacities.
Please share this message to whomever this information might be relevant, and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!
Best,
Hannah Gall, MBA (she/her/hers)
Community Health Program Manager
Office: 970-313-4226 | Mobile: 720-988-6728
Office Hours: Mon-Thur 9am-5pm
www.summitfirc.org | hannahg@
Strong Families. Strong Community.
Help Shape the Future of Summit School District’s Education to Career Pathways!
Summit School District is excited to embark on a journey to enhance the educational experience for our students by creating meaningful and rewarding career pathways that align with industry demands and postsecondary education requirements.
Our goal is to bridge the gap between traditional educational approaches and the evolving needs and expectations of both industry and postsecondary institutions. To achieve this, we are in the process of selecting, developing, and implementing Education to Career Pathways that will empower our students to excel in their chosen fields. These pathways include:
-College credit through concurrent enrollment.
-Integration and alignment of core content academic learning objectives.
-Demonstration of technical skill attainment through industry certifications.
-Work-based learning opportunities that allow students to practice and master essential career skills.
We value your input and expertise as integral members of our community. To ensure that these pathways are tailored to meet the unique interests and aspirations of our students and community, we invite you to participate in a brief survey. Your insights will guide our decision-making process and help shape the future of Summit School District’s educational offerings.
Survey Link (English): https://bit.ly/476atjv
Survey Link (Spanish): https://bit.ly/48Zt56x
Eagle Valley Behavioral Health looks to expand mental health services as Summit County’s community mental health provider
The Vail Health subsidiary is expected to increase mental health services for Summit County’s small mountain towns
Eagle Valley Behavioral Health is expanding access to behavioral and mental health services in Summit County after the county government designated the provider as the county’s community mental health center earlier this year. Read more here!
Colorado Medicaid Standards for Unlicensed Practitioners Attestation
This is a reminder from Left Hand Management that the Regional Accountable Entities (RAEs) have collaboratively formulated standards that allow unlicensed/pre-licensed clinicians to provide services to Health First Colorado Members.
These standards aim to protect the public while upholding the integrity of the healthcare profession. The primary focus of the RAEs is to uphold a superior clinical standard of care for our members. The implementation of these new aligned standards is designed to guarantee that unlicensed providers in mental health organizations and integrated care settings receive adequate supervision and oversight.
Yearly Attestation due by January 1 each calendar year! Attestation for Supervision of Unlicensed and/or Pre-licensed Practitioners. View the required form below.
~ Here is the link to the required form ~
Additional Links
Colorado Medicaid Standards for Unlicensed Practitioners Policy
Colorado Medicaid Standards for Unlicensed Practitioners Policy FAQs
We’re here to lend a hand and help you through every step of the process, whether it’s the whole journey or just a part of it. Want to schedule a meeting with Stephanie? Request a call now.
Foundry Treatment Center – now accepting Medicaid
Foundry has immediate availability for men’s residential and telehealth Medicaid clients!
To reach a team member or make a referral, please contact their admissions team at (844) 955-1066 or visit forgingnewlives.com.
Introducing new intern: Shannon Barrett
My name is Shannon Barrett and I wanted to introduce myself as a new member to the mental health field in Summit County!
I am in my second year of graduate school to become an LPC, currently in my practicum phase and will enter my internship in January. I am an intern for Kristen Greenwald at Wild Nature Wellness and am currently working with the Wild Youth Passages program.
I am hoping to begin seeing individual clients and am passionate about mental health and wellness in our community. I have a background working as a preschool and toddler teacher for five years, am passionate about working with children, and am under the supervision of a certified synergetic play therapist.
I am willing to work with adult clients, adolescents, and children. I am interested in working with people experiencing depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, relationship issues, behavioral issues, and clients who simply need help navigating being human. I currently utilize CBT, Solution-focused brief therapy, and person-centered approaches, with an emphasis on mindfulness but hope to practice an integrative and eclectic approach with clients.
I am available to see clients Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturday mornings and am located in Dillon, CO.
I can take Medicaid and Rocky Mtn. HMO clients or out of pocket clients for $25 a session.
I can be contacted by email or through phone at:
Email: shannon@
Phone: 970-486-3343
I have lived in Summit County for a long time and am passionate about creating a safe and supportive environment for clients. I am excited to be joining such a wonderful community of mental health professionals and look forward to getting to know everyone as we foster wellness in the mountains. 🙂
I look forward to hearing from you,
Shannon Barrett
Last Word!
Please join our Summit County Provider Facebook page and please take our provider survey so we can continue to support our provider community.
If you would like to be added to the provider directory on Building Hope’s website or make updates to your existing profile, please fill out this form. For simple updates to your availability status, please email Ravi. If applicable: please also remember to log in to your Mountain Strong profile and make edits there as well!
We hope to see you at one of our community events.
*Building Hope Summit County*
*PO Box 1771, Frisco, CO 80443*
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