When Steamboat Springs High School senior Makena James learned that the opioid overdose treatment bill she had worked on for three years had been signed into law, she cried.

“I’ve poured my blood, sweat and tears into it,” James said. “It was such a wonderful moment to see that something I did as a teenage girl from Colorado is going to help the lives of everyone in this state.”

Senate Bill 25-164, which was signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis on May 5, increases statewide access to naloxone, a lifesaving medication that can help reverse opioid overdoses. The measure is a testament to years of community-based advocacy, which began with a student-led project through the Partners for Youth’s Steamboat Springs Teen Council. 

James joined the council in eighth grade. As she became more involved, she noticed recurring but often unspoken issues within her hometown.

“There are so many unspoken tragedies and unspoken issues within the community that we tend to glaze over,” she said. “Even though we have this image of a perfect little town, things like the opioid crisis are hurting people here, too.”

That realization took root during her freshman year, when James began talking with other teens across the Western Slope of Colorado. Those conversations, which included students from Gunnison to Montrose, revealed a troubling pattern of opioid misuse and overdose escalating in rural communities. Despite the increase, few people seemed willing to talk about it or craft policy to address it.

James found a platform for addressing the issue at the Teen Council. She helped lead a district-wide naloxone training initiative for teachers, bus drivers and students. The effort quickly attracted attention and introduced her to the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, a youth-led organization that connects teenagers with lawmakers.

With support from both COYAC and Partners for Youth, James chaired a subcommittee to draft what would eventually become SB25-164. While the bill initially failed to gain traction through COYAC’s official selection process, it found a strong advocate in Sen. Faith Winter, D-Broomfield, who carried the legislation through the Senate with additional support from Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial, and other lawmakers. 

“Makena just had a lot of drive and passion and found a topic that was really important to her,” said Lindsay Kohler, executive director of Partners for Youth. “Through our program, she was able to learn how to make change.”

Kohler said that James’ story reflects what’s possible when youth are empowered to lead and when adults are willing to listen to, and work with, that leadership. 

“One of the great things about our Youth Council program is that we just guide,” she said. “All the passion and potential is already there in the young people we work with. We just provide a platform for them to access it.”

The legislation passed with bipartisan support despite concerns over the state’s tight budget. James testified before both House and Senate committees, where she explained why naloxone access was the most practical and immediate way to make a difference in the crisis.

“This isn’t a partisan issue,” James said. “Everyone wants to help save lives, and naloxone is the most accessible tool to do that.”

Beyond providing training and access, James hopes the law sparks more conversations, especially in communities like Steamboat Springs, where community image sometimes overshadows the realities that residents are dealing with.

“I think on a smaller level, there’s a certain image about ski towns that people feel obligated to uphold,” she said. “But we have to be able to say, ‘Hey, we have a drug problem. People are dying from drugs,’ and work together to fix that.”

According to Kohler, James’ path also highlights an often-overlooked truth that youth tend to identify emerging issues years before adults recognize them.

“Young people are living these issues day-to-day. They experience mental health challenges, changes in technology and social dynamics much sooner than adults do,” Kohler said. “By the time we start talking about something as a crisis, they’ve already been living in it for years.”

That early awareness, paired with guidance and support, can lead to real change.

“If someone has something they’re passionate about, there are ways for them to speak up and make a difference,” Kohler said. “There are adults and programs, like Partners for Youth, that will support them in doing so.”

Looking ahead, James hopes her work will serve as an inspirational blueprint for other teens across Colorado.

“If you’re passionate enough about something, you can work to have your voice heard and your actions impact people,” she said. “Even if you are young, you can still help solve a crisis.”

For communities, James offered one message she hopes SB25-164 makes clear.

“It ensures that voices and needs of often-overlooked communities, like rural Colorado, are no longer overlooked,” she said. “It shows that our actions can bring real, lasting change where it’s needed most.”

For more information on Partners for Youth and their youth-based initiatives, visit PartnersYouth.org.