Nurture Healthy Minds

Host five physical/recreational programs including Saturday Grab Bag, Bike the Coyote, Tuesday Trails, Help the Trees, and Construction through Concrete Coyote, a "A place for all to meet and make." These programs have outreach in the surrounding communities and work with Hillside Advisory Team, Relevant Word Ministries, Hillside and Meadows Park Community Centers and other groups.

Transform the way constituent voice informs decision-making on youth issues through the YouthScan Project. This statewide project empowers youth to share their point of view on critical issues and solutions in real time, creating a publicly accessible, interactive dashboard of insight directly from high school-aged youth.

Facilitate the roll-out and implementation of Imi, a free, digital, science-backed mental health tool for queer teens in Colorado and nationwide.

Launch nonclinical and peer supports for shelter guests and supportive housing residents in recovery or who are working to overcome substance misuse and mental health issues. Programming will provide meaningful, healing-centered daily activities related with participant social networks and aligns with the SAMHSA guiding principles for recovery and recovery support and the four dimensions of recovery including home, health, purpose and community.

Provide online support group services to approximately 2,000 teens throughout the state given the pressing need for preventative and ongoing mental health supports for Colorado LGBTQ+ teens.

Offer a more focused and intentional support model for people in recovery or dealing with mental health issues through the Health Navigation Program at three affordable housing communities in Denver that have high rates of substance abuse and mental health issues.

Continue to grow a powerful opportunity for young people to practice and further develop their agency and resilience. Seizing on the hunger from young people to be deeply engaged in their own development, 400 youth from San Luis Valley will embark on a learning journey completely aligned with their interests, passions and visions of success.

Support the Peer Support Specialist (PSS) Program and hire an additional PSS. PSSs provide non-clinical support to individuals in recovery, bringing their expertise based on lived experience with substance use and recovery to their work with participants as part of Empowerment's blend of wraparound recovery support services, shown to decrease rates of recidivism, homelessness, unemployment and emergency department utilization.

Support a youth-led convening for healing in the San Luis Valley, cultivating resilience in the face of historical trauma and racism, while building problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and a Valley-wide culture of belonging.

Expand youth prevention services for children impacted by the child welfare system. Services support children and families through pandemic recovery support, mental health wellness, sobriety and life skills through community reconnection, elder mentorship and cultural activities.