Behavioral health study used to help identify barriers to mental health care in Denver
Access to mental health services continues to be an issue in Denver and across the state.
A new study from the Denve Department of Public Health and Environment focused on the community shows they served 4 in 10 people who sought behavioral health services in the past year but couldn't get help.
After years of stigma surrounding mental health and substance abuse, support experts say they are now seeing a shift making this a critical time.
"Folks are now talking about it we need to make sure we have those services accessible and readily available for folks so that they don't get turned away when they are ready to start having those conversations," Marion Rorke said.
Rorke is a senior substance use analyst with DDPHE and among those involved in a recent study looking into behavioral health needs in Denver.
It found roughly 40% of those who tried couldn't access care.
"That's really what we want to change right we really want folks to not spend a year looking for things we even see people dropping out," she said.
The study was a way to zero in on how best to address accessibility issues. It found some of the biggest barriers were the cost and the time spent searching and waiting for care.
In addition to identifying community needs they also looked at what providers need including funding and workforce a problem across the metro area.
The Jefferson Center a community-based mental health clinic serving the foothills recently reported staff being the biggest challenge in their work.
"So behavioral health providers you think of licensed clinicians are in short demand," Jefferson Center CEO, Kiara Kuenzeler said.
Colorado is also struggling to hire with the Department of Human Services offering hiring bonuses to recruit.
"Our mental health hospitals are facing a serious nursing shortage," said Leora Joseph, director of the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health.
Rorke says the studies finding specific to Denver will help determine where millions of dollars in pandemic recovery money will go to address the growing need.
You can find the entire study here: https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Public-Health-Environment/Community-Behavioral-Health/Behavioral-Health-Strategies/Behavioral-Health-Needs-Assessment
