Last Friday, community members, healthcare professionals, and local leaders gathered at Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC) for a pivotal presentation on Archuleta County’s Behavioral Health Landscape Assessment.
This event, hosted by Healthy Archuleta, marked a significant milestone in addressing the evolving mental and behavioral health needs of our community — needs that are becoming increasingly urgent as economic, social, and cultural challenges grow more complex.
The assessment, conducted during Fall of 2024, provided valuable insights into the current state of mental and behavioral health in Archuleta County. The event drew a diverse group of over 25 in-person attendees, including representatives from community-based organizations, school district leadership, primary care providers (PCPs), local behavioral health professionals, and remote participants from funding partner organizations. This strong turnout reflects a shared commitment across sectors to work collaboratively toward meaningful change.
At the heart of this initiative is Healthy Archuleta’s commitment to transforming these findings into action in collaboration with local partner organizations and providers. Working closely with community members and organizational partners, Healthy Archuleta is set to implement the recommendations outlined in the assessment, fostering a healthier and more equitable future for all residents. Central to this effort is the organization’s partnership with a local mental and behavioral health provider which will soon incorporate Spanish-language telehealth services into its offerings—an essential step toward expanding access for the county’s Spanish-speaking residents.
Key recommendations from the assessment focus on expanding the capacity of primary care providers to integrate mental and behavioral health care into their practices. This includes increasing access to trauma-informed, culturally competent care–ensuring providers can better meet the diverse needs of the community. Addressing language barriers remains a priority, with Healthy Archuleta supporting interpretation training for bilingual navigators and community members, offering a pathway toward medical interpreter certification to enhance communication and accessibility.
Expanding access to bilingual mental and behavioral health providers through partnerships and telehealth services is another critical step. Local mental and behavioral health provider agency will help lead this effort by offering expanded telehealth appointments for Spanish-speaking clients, connecting local residents with providers based in Denver.
A range of targeted training sessions and initiatives are already underway to support this comprehensive strategy. One participant is currently engaged in Lay Mental Health Training through Healthy Archuleta, ensuring that frontline support is available for those in need.
Collaboration among the Archuleta County Public Health Department (ACPHD), Healthy Archuleta (HA), Authentic Solutions, and Pagosa Community Initiative (PCI) has brought together these four organizations to enhance their capacity and collaborate through community health worker and navigator training opportunities. Notably, three of the local participants of this training are bilingual, improving language access for underserved populations.
Healthy Archuleta is also committed to increasing suicide prevention awareness through Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Training — offering specialized training in Spanish to both team members and the wider community.
In an effort to better understand mental and behavioral health through a cultural lens, Healthy Archuleta is collaborating with Dr. Jose Canaca, a renowned psychiatrist, who will facilitate two sessions in early April.
On April 7, Dr. Canaca, will present a Cultural Competency & Integrated Mental Health Training to local healthcare providers, followed by a Mental and Behavioral Health Literacy Community Conversation on Tuesday, April 8th in Spanish.
These initiatives represent Healthy Archuleta’s proactive approach to addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of Archuleta County, ensuring that support is accessible, culturally responsive, and linguistically inclusive. The implementation of these strategies marks not just a continuation of Healthy Archuleta’s mission but a deepened commitment to fostering collaboration and building a more resilient, connected community.
The path forward requires the collective effort of healthcare providers, organizational partners, and residents. By acting on the recommendations from the Behavioral Health Landscape Assessment, Archuleta County can ensure that every member of the community has the opportunity to thrive — no matter their language, background, or circumstance.
Finally, as a community resource there is also a new, National Suicide and Crisis Line. This can be accessed through their website, calling in, text or chat to 988 and is staffed by Spanish and English professionals 24/7 and they have recently added ASL. This is not only for those in crisis but those worried about someone who may need crisis support for suicide, mental health and/or substance abuse crisis.
For more information about Healthy Archuleta’s initiatives or to get involved, visit www.foodcoalition4archuleta.org or send us an email at fsfearchuleta@gmail.com.