2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
Your Impact on Pediatric Mental Health Care 26,400+
Thanks to generous donors like you, Children’s Hospital Colorado is addressing the youth mental health crisis while creating broad systemic change to advance a healthier state of care for kids - here in Colorado and beyond. From individuals, foundations and corporate partners in the community to riders in the Courage Classic Bicycle Tour and participants in community fundraising events like Climbing for Kids, your collective giving and fundraising is transforming pediatric mental health care. Just two years ago, we declared a pediatric mental health state of emergency in May 2021 and launched our strategic plan for pediatric mental health in November 2021. Since that time, nearly 2,500 donors have given gifts ranging from $5 to $15 million that have added up to $55 million towards our $100 million philanthropic goal.
Mental health patient encounters YTD*
27,400+
Patients screened for suicide YTD*, 82% of one-year goal
Together, what we are accomplishing is nothing short of awe-inspiring. With meaningful partners like you, extraordinary work is taking place. Because of you, we can provide better mental health care access and services for young people. Because of you, we are taking significant steps to dramatically change our state’s mental health care system, prevent suicide and give youth the support they need to thrive.
Every gift you have given has made an impact in changing the trajectory for kids’ mental health. We are grateful that you are on this journey with us and proud to share the progress you have made possible.
Top Achievements Among the many advancements within pediatric mental health (PMH), there are three key achievements that have made a significant difference in how Children’s Colorado treats patients.
1
A nursing model that enables the same three nurses to care for a patient during their stay, improving care and the experience of the patient, family and care team.
2
Enhancing the care process and expanding access across the system of care for varying acuity of mental health issues, including inpatient, partial hospitalization program, day treatment, outpatient and the emergency department.
“The Partial Hospitalization Program was a ‘life giver’ for our daughter. There was life before PHP - and life after PHP. She was discharged on her birthday, and it felt like it was the first day of the rest of her life. It was the type of program that I had been hoping she’d find to support her anxiety and depression. She walked away understanding what she was experiencing in her body and now has the tools to navigate her days. We talk about the strategies daily.” GRATEFUL PARENT OF A MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT
3
An evidence-based treatment model that has resulted in better care for inpatients and reduced team member injuries and turnover.
Emma, Children’s Hospital Colorado Ambassador and PMH patient
Donors are driving progress in these priority areas:
RESEARCH • With philanthropic funding, established the Pediatric Mental Health Institute Data Science Incubator, which is leveraging technology to accelerate solutions to mental health challenges, including harnessing artificial intelligence to prevent youth suicide, tapping into big data to predict mental health crises, and developing AI-powered mental health treatments for kids
SPECIALTY OUTPATIENT CARE
3,940+
• Received grants to support research efforts for Autism Spectrum Disorder; the effects of cannabis on mother-infant relationships; and the effects on the body of understudied drugs administered to children
Visits and treatment days during Telstar’s first full year of service (October 2022–2023)
250%
Launched the Anxiety Specialty Program
• Began a research clinical trial of the effect of CBD on irritability in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Increase in new specialty outpatient therapy offerings
118
Publications produced by the Pediatric Mental Health Institute on topics ranging from suicide prevention screening to the opioid epidemic to creating a statewide continuum of care and the impact of telehealth accessibility
• Received national and international recognition for numerous providers’ research
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Designed new intake care pathways
One of the biggest obstacles in getting kids the mental health care they need is a lack of mental health care providers; your giving has helped remedy this situation.
CRISIS CARE
10+
Finalized and approved the strategic plan, recruiting a new leadership team that has been designing new care pathways
Children’s Colorado patients 10 and older will be screened for depression and suicide risk thanks to a new initiative
Received State of Colorado Behavioral Health Administration funds to assist with mental health staffing for the Emergency Department, along with philanthropic funding Allocated resources for the redesign of the hospital’s Emergency Department on the Anschutz Medical Campus to allow for new mental health care pathways, and pursued philanthropy to support space renovations across the system of care
124
New positions added from 2022 to 2023, allowing the PMH team to expand
Numerous critical positions were filled and key new hires were made to help lead the Pediatric Mental Health Institute, its new career pathways, crisis services and specialty programs
6
Established several endowed fellowships, including support for pediatric psychiatry nurse practitioner (NP) fellowships; three NP fellows are set to graduate in January 2024
Bilingual mental health care providers, up from 1
REGIONAL/NATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
PREVENTION AND EARLY TREATMENT
Introduced new suite of trainings to help teachers and school staff support the mental health concerns of students and connect them with the help they need
25
Number of youth across Colorado who helped launched Youth Council on Mental Health to develop youth-led recommendations for social media and mental health trainings
30
Schools reached in southern Colorado with resiliency and behavioral health navigator programs
4
New types of roles added
The 10-part Mental Health Series for the Charting Pediatrics podcast has reached listeners in 113 countries and has had more than 57,000 downloads, educating providers and practitioners around mental health concerns
Dr. Ron-Li Liaw served in leadership roles on a number of national and regional committees and councils focused on youth mental health
Hired the Mood Disorders Program director, a critical position
PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS Children’s Colorado partnered with Speak Our Minds and Children’s Hospital Association to launch a documentary series, beginning with The Wait to Nowhere, to raise awareness of the dearth of residential and in-home treatment for chronic pediatric mental health patients.
810
$100 Million Goal $45 Million
We have raised $55M so far since the launch of the strategic plan in November 2021
$55 Million
Consultations led by the Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Access & Consultation Program (CoPPCAP) for Colorado pediatric primary care providers across 83 practices to assess and provide treatment for kids’ mental health conditions presenting in a primary care setting
$45M remaining to hit $100M goal
24
Community events Children’s Colorado Pediatric Mental Health team participated in, including Youth Mental Health Action Day and Suicide Prevention Advocacy at the Capitol
PMH SECURED THE FOLLOWING FUNDING YTD*
$18.3M
raised in philanthropy (YTD*)
$12.1M
including $11.3M in Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) grant awards across the University of Colorado, Children’s Colorado, and primary care network
“Since joining Children’s Hospital Colorado in 2021, I’ve experienced more support for our efforts in pediatric mental health than I could have imagined. The reach you have – and will continue to have – is immeasurable. Thank you for coming alongside us as we transform the future of pediatric mental health. The impact of your philanthropy will leave a lasting imprint on kids treated in the state of Colorado and beyond. Thank you!” DR. RON-LI LIAW Mental Health-in-Chief, The Cannon Y. and Lyndia K. Harvey Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry *as of Dec. 1, 2023
Anschutz Medical Campus 13123 E. 16th Ave., Box 45 Aurora, CO 80045
Colorado Springs 111 S. Tejon Street, Suite 309 Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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