Cleo Parker Robinson Dance - Arts-in-Wellbeing

CPRD's Fifth Pillar Vision

The organization’s newest initiative, established post-covid to enable and empower artists and communities, is a fifth operational pillar. Health & Wellbeing builds upon years of civic engagement, investment in career development, and direct physical and mental health service programs.

Community Impact

Paid Internship Program

CPRD’s Mental Health is Wealth (MHIW) paid internship program is an eight-week experience connecting high school students with more than a dozen creative industry organizations for on-job-access within diverse career fields. Students participate in a weekly workshop designed to provide foundational knowledge of mental health, wellness, and the arts with our behavioral health professionals and arts facilitation team members. MHIW is intentional in helping to expand the circle of support for each youth while providing opportunities for our future leaders to learn and exercise their power, nurture curious career and post-high school options, and discover the multiple intersections between creativity, behavioral health, business, culture, and community. This program began in 2023 with 6 DPS students and has grown to 12 students for the summer of 2024.

Direct Service

Touching more than 3,000 people statewide and partnering with 7 In-State Higher Education Institutions (MSU, Trinidad State College, Fort Lewis College, Colorado College, CSU, Adams State College, CSU Pueblo) with the idea of mentorship and access at the forefront, CPRD brought Denver-area high school students to CO higher education institutions through career fairs learning trades within the arts, multimedia communications, public health, and advocacy related to regional and national policies.

Direct service programs have included:

Advocacy

Through CPRD’s statewide listening and engagement tour, we’ve been intentional in gathering all aspects of city governance and operation to learn and better advance the cultural, social, economic, and political needs of the community. Connecting with over 60 state agencies through the Momentum Tour. This has included healthcare agencies, public and broadcast journalism, city council members, office of elected officials, arts organizations, city tourism and economic development committees, college and university staff, public education employees, community members, college students, performance arts venue owners, and community artists.

Efforts have also included:

6 Medical Abstracts submitted over 3 years (2021 – 2023)

Politics 101 in collaboration with Colorado Black Women for Political Action

CPRD Community Resources

Mental Health Services for Youth Ages 18 and Under

Colorado House Bill 21-1258 established I Matter in 2021 to provide access to mental health and substance use disorder services for youth, and to address needs that may have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.

I Matter services are available to youth ages 18 and under, or ages 21 and under if receiving special education services. Youth under 12 years of age will need caregiver consent to receive services.

I Matter provides up to six free virtual therapy sessions for youth in Colorado.

Mental Health Services for Individuals Ages 18 and Up

TherapyDirect is a Colorado-based, grant-funded service that connects individuals ages 18 and up to a therapist or peer specialist in minutes.

TherapyDirect services are available Monday-Friday from 9am-5:30pm MST. If you’re not ready to talk to someone right away, you can submit a request to be contacted at a time that fits your schedule. There are no program fees or insurance required to receive services.

Under TherapyDirect, individuals seeking support receive up to three free virtual 55-minute sessions.

Colorado Crisis Services provides free, confidential and immediate support from trained professionals and peer specialists

Call 844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255 for support 24/7/365. Colorado residents can also seek services in-person at CCS walk-in centers, regardless of ability to pay. The Denver walk-in center is located at 4353 E. Colfax Ave Denver, 80220.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SERVICES

STARTING THE CONVERSATION - UNDERSTANDING YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

FREE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE - ZERO FARE FOR YOUTH

Zero Fare for Youth is a one-year pilot program that aims to enhance the lives of RTD customers and communities by reducing transportation costs for families.

By inviting youth ages 19 and under to ride the bus and train at no cost, RTD removes barriers to education and employment, while creating access to destinations across the metro Denver region.

LEARN MORE ON RTD

Arts-in-Wellbeing