Stedman Group delivers San Miguel County behavioral‑health strategic plan; steering committee to refine implementation and funding

San Miguel County commissioners received a final behavioral health strategic plan from consultants with the Stedman Group and discussed next steps for funding, governance and implementation.

Burke Fishburne, project lead for the Stedman Group, presented the plan Sept. 10 and said the work began in February with a gap analysis, resource inventory and focus groups conducted in Telluride and Norwood. The consultants collected quantitative data and conducted interviews with youth, parents, educators, nonprofit leaders and professionals in health care, behavioral health, public safety and local government.

The gap analysis identified wait lists, cost, stigma, geographic barriers in remote areas, a shortage of Spanish‑language and culturally responsive care, and a shortage of behavioral‑health workforce as primary issues. The plan’s recommended priorities include a centralized behavioral‑health navigation hub, regionally tailored strategies for the county’s East and West ends, expanded school‑based and peer‑led youth supports, a crisis‑stabilization “living room” concept that was discussed but not included in final priorities, and a clinician–law‑enforcement co‑response model.

Karina Stavish, an associate consultant who led the gap analysis, said the team catalogued local providers and services in a resource inventory and noted that the inventory is a snapshot of February–March 2025 and will need ongoing updating. The plan includes an implementation roadmap, a five‑year evaluation plan with public metrics and a communications plan that calls for Spanish translations, local storytelling and community briefings.

Commissioners asked who will serve as the plan’s long‑term oversight entity and how the plan will be funded. Burke Fishburne and Stedman Group colleagues said the plan offers two funding models — a block‑grant style approach or a distributed funding model with county procurement — and can be adapted. Grace Franklin, San Miguel County’s director of public health, said the county and existing collaborative groups have strong foundations, but the county will need to refine lead agency roles and funding responsibilities. Several commissioners and panel members suggested Tri‑County Health Network, Telluride Medical Center or other regional partners as potential implementation partners; Tri‑County and Access Health representatives attending the meeting described existing programs and limits to county‑specific funding.

School‑based therapy and peer supports were recurring topics. Multiple panel members recommended that county school‑based clinicians be considered as part of any co‑response or crisis‑response approach so clinicians could provide in‑school services and respond to incidents during work hours rather than creating a separate 24/7 co‑responder program — a model the consultants flagged as costly and difficult to sustain without new recurring revenue streams.

Stedman Group left a public folder with the gap analysis, resource inventory, strategic plan spreadsheet and a project summary for county review. Presenters said they would continue to provide technical assistance if the county requests it.

What happens next: The consultants will present to the county’s behavioral‑health collaborative; county staff plan a community survey, refinement of lead‑agency assignments and additional conversations with local health providers and potential funders before any implementation steps begin.