CSU Launches $6 โMillion Center to Address ColoradoS โฃBehavioral Health Workforceโฃ Shortage
FORT COLLINS, CO – Colorado State University (CSU) โฃhas launched the Workforceโ Capacity Center (WCC), a new initiative backed by a $6 โmillionโ investment, aimed at considerably expanding the state’s behavioral health workforce. โThe center will focus on training, assessment, and equitable access โฃto care, especially in rural โคand frontier communities, as part of Colorado’s seven-year โฃSystem of Care rollout.
The WCC is a direct responseโข to growing demand for qualified behavioral healthโค professionals and seeks to improve access to crucial services for children and youth facing mental health โฃchallenges. Theโข initiative isโค funded as theโค first phase of the statewide System โof Care, with a primary focusโฃ on building workforce capacity and ensuring consistent, evidence-basedโ treatment โฃapproaches.
“More โคhighly trained providers will lead to greater โavailabilityโข and consistency of care,more holistic support and improved long-term outcomes for youth,” explained โขDr. Laurie Riggs, a professor in CSU’s Department of Human Growth and โFamily Studies.
The center’sโ impact is already resonating with families who haveโฃ experienced the benefits of โคcomprehensive, team-based care like Wraparound services. โฃ”Before Wraparound, I wasโข overwhelmed and โalone trying to manage school,โฃ mental health and crisis,” shared one parent โof a 14-year-old. “Nothing connected. With Wraparound, we had a team that listened, planned โtogether and supportedโ us.My son isโข thriving in school again, and Iโข finally feel hope.”
The WCC will support evidence-based training programs and comprehensiveโ assessment approaches, striving to โขstrengthen the provider network and increase regionalโ capacityโ across Colorado. โข A key priority is โensuring equitable access to behavioral health services, particularly inโข underserved areas.
Robert Werthwein, โsenior advisor for behavioralโ health and โฃaccess for the โstate’s Department of Health Care Policy โand Financing, emphasized the importance of the partnership with CSU. “Through ourโ partnership with CSU as โขthe Workforce Capacity Center, we’re taking meaningful steps to strengthen โcare for children andโฃ youth withโ behavioral health โขneeds for all of Colorado,” he said. “familiesโค should no we are โคcommitted to โa system thatโ is therโ for them whenโค they need itโ moast.”
CSU officialsโค highlight the alignment ofโ the WCC with theโ university’s land-grant mission.”This is another perfect โขalignment ofโ CSU’s land-grantโข mission and our โฃexpertise to โฃmeet the needs of people across our state,” said Lise Youngblade, dean of the College of โฃHealth and Human Sciences.”We are proud to support positive family andโค community โoutcomes, โstudent planning for meaningful careers in behavioral health andโ partnerships โคamong health care, community โservicesโ and individuals to elevate skills to address the behavioral health needsโ of fellow Coloradans.”
Dr. Marcโข Winokur, a senior research scientist in theโ School of Social Work, willโ alsoโฃ play a key role โคin the center’s work. The Workforce Capacity center representsโ a fundamental strategy for boosting family well-being,increasing system efficiency and strengthening statewide resilience,according to Riggs.