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Douglas County proclaims May 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month, highlights CRT and care‑compact partnerships
Summary
The board adopted a resolution declaring May 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month and heard presentations from the county mental health division, the Douglas County Health Department and AdventHealth outlining the county's Community Response Teams, care compacts, ARPA funding and a new partnership to expand access and reduce stigma.
Douglas County commissioners on Tuesday adopted a resolution proclaiming May 2026 as Mental Health Awareness Month and heard partner remarks about new efforts to expand access to services and reduce stigma.
Laura Cincone, the county’s mental health division manager (introduced at the meeting), presented the resolution and highlighted county mental health programs and outcomes. The resolution cites state and county statistics, the county’s Mental Health Collaborative (more than 50 partner organizations) and program metrics: since launching Community Response Teams (CRT) in 2017 they have served more than 11,500 people, prevented over 1,900 unnecessary emergency department visits, avoided 656 jail bookings, and saved more than $11,000,000 in public safety and health care costs, the resolution said. Cincone also noted the county established a mental health division within Department of Human Services in 2024 and dedicated over $6,000,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to mental health initiatives.
Laura Larson of the Douglas County Health Department described efforts to connect residents to resources across life stages and promote mental health first aid training. “Through our Healthy Families Partnership of Douglas County, our team helps connect parents with resources, education, and supports to promote healthy development,” Larson said.
Representatives from AdventHealth Castle Rock, including Michelle Fuentes and Brian Trujillo, described partnership work to expand capacity and align funding for services, and a physician who identified as Dr. Lohr (emergency medicine) commented on clinical observations from local emergency care. AdventHealth emphasized a “whole person” approach and reducing stigma so people seek care earlier.
Board action and context: A commissioner moved to adopt the resolution recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month; the motion was seconded and the board adopted it. Commissioners emphasized stigma reduction and highlighted local programs such as the county’s care compact and youth care compact, which the resolution says have served 240 adults and 98 families respectively.
What’s next: County and partner staff said they will continue the partnership to identify funding, expand capacity and promote community education; staff referred attendees to douglasco.gov/mentalhealthresources for more information.
