Dear Friend,

Mental health is one of the most important parts of everyone’s story.

It’s in our bodies, our relationships, our workplaces, and our communities. It’s in our sense of self. It’s shaped by how we interact with systems like healthcare, schools, and workplaces. Mental health is central to human experience and infuses how we live every day.

This May, Mental Health Colorado is inviting you to take a deeper look at your own and your community’s mental health and to join Mental Health Colorado in promoting healthier minds across the lifespan. This month, you can double your impact with a matching gift. Thanks to our partners at Alpine Bank, all gifts made during the month of May will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000!

A Broader Understanding of Mental Health

Mental health is often treated as an individual issue. But it is influenced by far more than personal experience. Mental health is:

• Systemic – shaped by how institutions respond in moments of need
• Health – deeply connected to physical well-being
• Multigenerational & Shaped by Identity – influenced by lived experience, relationships, and community
• Where We Live & Work – impacted by housing, workplaces, financial prospects, and daily life

Throughout the month, we will explore each of these areas and share stories from Coloradans whose lives reflect these realities.

Why This Matters in Colorado

Across our state, the need for awareness, access, and action is clear:

• 1 in 5 adults in the United States experiences mental illness each year, and many are also navigating physical health conditions, financial stress, or barriers to care.
• In Colorado, 17% of adults report they could not get the mental health care they needed.
• More than 713,000 Coloradans report difficulty affording housing, a factor closely tied to mental health and well-being.
• More than half of LGBTQ+ Coloradans report struggling with their mental health, reflecting ongoing disparities in access and support.
• While in need of care, only 7% of Black and 8% of Hispanic Coloradans receive it, compared to 13% of white Coloradans.

These numbers reflect real people, real families, and real communities across Colorado.

What You Can Do

Understanding mental health differently is the first step. Taking action is how we create change. This month, you can:

• Donate today to support this work. Gifts made during the month of May will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000 thanks to our partners at Alpine Bank.
• Explore our Resources page and share with your network.
• Share your story to help others feel seen and understood.
• Join Brain Wave and help advocate for policies that support healthier minds across Colorado.
• Follow us on social media using the links below and share these messages with your network.

Mental health is part of everyone’s story.

We look forward to partnering with you this month to build awareness, inspire action and promote health and well-being for Coloradans across the lifespan.

Your voice for healthier minds,

Mental Health Colorado

Special thanks to our 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month Sponsors: