In 2021, the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration passed House Bill 21-1258 to provide rapid mental health care to Colorado youths. Since then, the program I Matter has flourished.
Paul Barnett, director of Child Youth and Family Behavioral Health with BHA, has overseen the program, which has served almost 9,000 youths and completed 35,000 therapy sessions statewide through July.
I Matter provides free and temporary mental health services for anyone 18 years and younger and 21 years and younger if they receive special education services. They do not have to be enrolled in school.
The program was a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve seen through the pandemic mental health and substance abuse problems across the board,” Barnett said. “For a while, substance abuse decreased for kids and increased for adults, but it’s now leveling out.”
Barnett said people can go through the website and quickly be screened to sign up. It is not a full mental health assessment, which can create barriers, such as financial or social stigmas. No one who signs up will be denied, and it gets kids connected to something with a positive experience.
“Because it’s quick access with low barriers, it provides a level of service that is accessible,” Barnett said. “If more serious issues occur, they can be referred to a more intense service.”
Roughly 206 therapists are contracted through BHA. Some of them have their own private practice, and some work through mental health agencies.
Barnett emphasizes that if it seems there is no parental involvement in the client’s life, the clinician is mandated to make sure everything is OK at the client’s home. They are obligated to report abuse and neglect.
I Matter offers six free therapy sessions in person or remote, depending on what the client prefers. If the client favors in person it would be in the therapist’s office, depending on the location since there might not be an available in person therapist in certain areas.
Once on the website, a couple of buttons lead to the rapid screening. If the client is 11 or younger, a parent must complete the survey. Youths 12 and older can fill the survey by themselves. After completing the screening, a webpage will allow them to search for therapists and view their profiles, including expertise, philosophies and other values, allowing potential clients to pick who they would like to see.
I Matter is funded through 2024. The legislature says up to three sessions will be provided, but Barnett said the program has enough money to allow six.
“We’ve provided more than six on occasion if the clinician says their client needs a few more before transition,” he said. “I don’t believe anyone has had more than eight.”
I Matter tracks how many kids finish therapy and how many are referred for other services, including higher level of care, crisis services and basic needs services. Barnett said very few kids – one to two per month – are referred for higher levels of care or crisis services.
The program has been advertised in every county across Colorado, although in some counties nobody has used the service.
Since the program’s beginning and up through July 2023, I Matter has served 24 Montezuma County youths.
“It seems somewhat ahead than other (similar) counties,” Barnett said. “Some of the regions are underserved. Because of this health access (in Montezuma County) we’re doing good.”
In comparison, four to six Denver communities have served close to 1,000 clients, as well as Adams County. Boulder County and similar counties have served a few hundred clients. More than 20 counties have numbers in the single digits, and San Juan County hasn’t served anyone.
