MENTAL HEALTH & MINDFULNESS
Do you know how to get crisis help? Do you know how to find a support group? Do you know how to locate credible community and/or other mental health, mindfulness, and stress management resources? Do you know your employee mental health benefits coverage? Have you ever taken a mental health screening? Here are tools.
"There are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency when life gets tough." - Mental Health America
Mental Health Crisis Support - Help is Here 24/7
Call 911 if if someone is an immediate risk to themselves or others.
For Pitkin County employees, legal spouses/partners, and dependent children 26, or younger in crisis, contact Triad EAP: 877-679-1100
Many people are experiencing mental health challenges due to the ongoing pandemic.
Please consider participating!
Remember, via the Well Workplace Benefits policy, Pitkin County supports staff participating in County-sponsored Employee Health and Well-Being activities and programs for two (2) hours of paid work time a month that are designed to increase staff productivity, work/life integration and retention, and decrease healthcare costs, and absenteeism. Employees can use this time to participate in stress management activities, and to support their mental health. Click here examples of Health and Well-Being activities and programs that qualify for the “two (2) hours of paid work time a month.”
Meditation, Mindfulness, and Support Groups
Know Your Benefits Coverage
Triad EAP is available to full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees, elected officials, spouses and dependent children up to 26 years of age. EAP benefit eligible employees and their family members receive 8 free telehealth sessions per incident per year. In response to the virus, Pitkin County is able to enhance this benefit for additional counseling services to support COVID-19 related issues. In 2021 and 2022, current EAP benefit eligible employees, and family members can receive an additional 5 telehealth sessions for COVID-19 if needed. Case management benefits remain the same (8 per incident plus 5 more for COVID-19).
Pitkin County Health Plan Coverage Benefit
If you are enrolled in Pitkin's County's medical plan, you also have mental health benefits via the health insurance plan. For mental health providers, you will pay 20% after deductible at any provider. Out-of-Network mental health services will accumulate toward the in-network deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums; however you will be required to submit a claim to Allegiance for reimbursement.
Pitkin County Human Services - Not Covered Under Pitkin County's Medical Plan?
The Pitkin County Human Services website can connect you and your family with mental health resources, financial assistance, and more. Click here for more information.
Trainings / Courses / Classes
Customized. Targeted. Goal-Oriented. Follow-Up Support. If you would like to discuss and/or schedule any of the trainings, courses, and/ or classes for your department, please contact Human Resources at hr@pitkincounty.com.
Topics
Burnout
Communication
Emotional Intelligence
Grief
Meditation
Mental Fitness
Mindfulness
Resiliency
Self-Care
Self-Compassion
Team-Building
Yoga
And More...
Training Catalogs & Events
Articles , Webinars, & More Resources
"Eating More Fruit and Vegetables Linked to Less Stress Study"
"Going Plant-Based for Your Mental Health? Some Things to Keep in Mind."
"Improve Your Mood With Food: What You Eat Affects Your Mental Health" Access Passcode: DOKS5/2021
"The Most Important Question You May Ever Ask: Are You Thinking of Suicide?"
"There's a Name for the Blah You're Feeling: It's Called Languishing"
"Work Creep - How It Keeps Creeping In, and What to do About it"
“Most people experiencing distressing emotions and thoughts want an empathetic listener before being offered helpful options and resources.” - Mental Health First Aid USA
Do you choose empathy? What actions will you take or do to be more empathetic?
Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Sympathy: feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune.
“Empathy is a choice, and it is a vulnerable one.” Dr. Brené Brown
"Self care is the first step in mental wellness. It creates a stronger relationship with the self and with others. " - Aspen Strong
Signs You May Not Be Practicing Self-Care:
Not asking for or denying what you need
Expecting things to be perfect
Isolating yourself from others
Choosing to remain silent
Judging yourself too harshly
Putting others' needs above your own
Pretending to be someone you are not
Speaking negatively to yourself
Not changing what you can control
Community Resources
English PitCo MH Resource Navigation Guide (1).pdf
The Hope Center provides a specific array of services that were designed to decrease the stress of navigating the convoluted system of mental health and most importantly, to tighten the reins on the gaps found in the services provided in the valley. Services include: 24-Hour Hopeline, Crisis Intervention, Individual Counseling, Information & Referral, Community Education, and School Programs.
Aspen Hope Center - 970-925-5858
Aspen Strong is a nonprofit 501C3 organization in the Roaring Fork Valley promoting mental hygiene and connecting people with mental health resources. The mission is to raise awareness of and improve mental health in the Roaring Fork Valley by creating sustainable financial resources, uniting professionals and agencies in mental health, and by supporting and implementing empirically based and results-oriented education and action. Aspen Strong's goal is to inspire a movement that promotes healthy community dialogue where suicide is recognized as preventable and mental wellness is embraced and supported within community and organizational structure.
Aspen Strong - 970-925-718-2842
The Mindful Life Program (MLP), co-founded by John Bruna and Mark Molony, is a comprehensive mindfulness program that integrates the four key areas of mindfulness – attention, wisdom, values, and an open heart – that help lead you to a personal transformation. MLP offers you mindfulness resources, programs and courses designed specifically to provide practical, accessible, and universal skills that empower you to transform your life with attention and intention.
Mindful Life Program - 970-633-0163
Mind Springs health is the leading behavioral health provider on Colorado’s western slope, offering you a full-range of mental health and addiction services, from mobile crisis response to individual, family, couples and group programs for all ages. Also has the western slope’s only psychiatric hospital, West Springs Hospital. Feeling stressed, anxious, angry, overwhelmed? Call the Mental Health Support Line.
Mental Health Support Line - 1-877-519-7505
PACT stands for Pitkin Area Co-Responder Teams, a collaborative community program between law enforcement and mental health professionals. The co-responder team jointly responds to calls where substance abuse and/or mental health challenges may exist.
Jenny Lyons, Mental Health Program (PACT) Administrator - jenny.lyons@pitkincounty.com or 970-309-2677
Pathfinders is a non-profit, psychosocial support program for cancer and chronically-ill patients, those suffering from grief and loss, caregivers, family members and the community. By focusing on the social, emotional and spiritual issues accompanying a diagnosis or loss of a loved one, programs foster healing and personal growth. For cancer and serious illness, Pathfinders support throughout diagnosis, survivorship, end of life, and grief and loss for loved ones. In grief and loss of all kinds, Pathfinders provides a safe place to feel and move towards healing. Everyone touched by cancer, illness, and grief and loss deserves a safe place to process their feelings. Pathfinders provides outstanding programs to those in need of counseling — along with volunteer support in the Roaring Fork and Grand Valleys. We are proud to serve Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass Village, Carbondale Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Silt and Rifle.
Pathfinders - 970-925-1226
More Mental Health Resources
Mental Health America is the nation's leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all. MHA’s programs and initiatives fulfill its mission of promoting mental health and preventing mental illness through advocacy, education, research and services.
Mental Health America - 703- 684-7722 or 800-969-6642
Mental Health First Aid Colorado promotes and supports mental health education and wellness for Coloradoans. In a Mental Health First Aid course, you will learn signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge or crisis, what to do in an emergency, and where to get help.
Mental Health First Aid Colorado - 720-573-3585
NAMI Colorado is the State organization for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. NAMI is an alliance nationwide with 48 State Organizations and more than 600 local Affiliates, dedicated to raising awareness by providing Support and Education as pathways to holistic wellness for those living with mental health challenges and their loved ones who invest their lives as caregivers.
NAMI Colorado - 303-321-3104
Meditation, Mindfulness, and Reducing Stress Resources
Free app for sleep, anxiety and stress. 80,000 free guided meditations Insight Timer believes everyone deserves access to a free daily meditation practice.
National Mental Health Innovation Center
A free Library of Mindfulness Recordings from CU's National Mental Health Innovation Center. Topics include: Breathwork; Emotional Awareness; Gratitude; Grounding; Loving Kindness, Meditation; Self Compassion; and more.
Tara Brach
Free talks and guided meditations by Tara Brach to support you through these difficult times. During this global crisis we all need pathways to calm, clarity and openheartedness. While it is natural to feel fear during times of great collective crisis, our challenge is that fear easily takes over our lives. Mindfulness and compassion practices can help us find an inner refuge, and deepen our loving connection with each other.
Other Resources
211 Colorado is a confidential and multilingual service connecting people to vital resources across the state. No matter where you live in Colorado, you can find information about resources in your local community. The 2-1-1 Colorado database holds information for more than 8,000 services across the state of Colorado. These services are supported by more than 2,800 agencies.
Call 2-1-1 or 866-760-6489 or Text your ZIP CODE to 898-211.
