For the third time in a row, the Community Health Needs Assessment findings of resident-reported health needs in the Yampa Valley is shining a harsh examination light on behavioral and mental health.

Access to care is another top health priority listed in the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment completed earlier this year.

The assessment, which takes place every three years, outlines the most important health issues in the community, the most unhealthy behaviors and the factors most important for community members’ personal health. This year’s results were informed, in part, by survey responses from some 700 residents across the valley.

The assessment reported residents’ ranking of the four worst health problems across the Yampa Valley as alcohol misuse and abuse (55.4%), substance and drug use (51.4%), suicide and suicidality (46.9%) and poor mental health (43.7%).

The assessment process goal is for partnering health agencies to use the findings and information to address the needs identified, said Brittney Wilburn, executive director at The Health Partnership, the coordinating agency. The previous assessment findings from 2019 and 2022 led to new and expanded health care programs and offerings across the Yampa Valley, Wilburn noted.

Wilburn presented on the assessment recently in Moffat County and outlined some of the notable programs created or expanded based on results from the 2022 assessment where the top concerns included access to care, mental and behavioral health, and substance abuse disorders. Health provider agencies expanded telehealth and virtual care options and expanded cancer screening services. Other examples of services include diabetes self-management programs, no-cost nurse telephone consultation services, and forensic medical exams and referrals to services.

In mental and behavioral health needs, providers offered integrated primary care and behavioral health, virtual behavioral health services, financial support for school-based mental health services, transportation services for behavioral health patients to next levels of care, and a Community Health Benefit Fund granting opportunity for local nonprofit organizations.

The 2025 survey showed 11% of respondents needed mental health support but did not access it, yet residents thought more mental health providers were available in the valley than in 2022.

Wilburn noted that “stigma around behavioral health still impacts one’s ability to get necessary services, especially among men and the Latinx community.”

Survey respondents listed common reasons why they did not receive the health care services they needed such as: not easy to access, not affordable, did not qualify, high quality but many not affordable or accessible for everyday people, and difficult to obtain unless know where to do, how to access and who to ask.

In steps meant to address substance use disorders, a few example programs developed or expanded during 2022 to 2024 include Alternatives to Opioids program as well as adoption of standardized screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment protocols.

Lindsey Reznicek, communications manager at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, noted that teams at the hospital “are working diligently on an implementation plan based on results of the 2025 CHNA.”

“YVMC will focus on the health needs of access to care, behavioral health and cancer as priorities for the 2025-2027 timeframe,” Reznicek said. “Initiatives like our partnership with Routt County on the co-responder program and the distribution of AEDs throughout the community are examples of work that is already underway that will make a positive impact.”

Reznicek cited some specific examples that UCHealth added following findings from the previous assessment, such as opening UCHealth Urgent Care at Steamboat Resort and embedding behavioral health providers into UCHealth Primary Care in Craig and UCHealth Women’s Care Clinic in Steamboat.

Survey respondents said some top factors that define a healthy community are access to primary care, affordable housing, employment opportunities that provide a living wage, and clean water and environment.

The assessment showed top healthy living factors that are missing in community, in descending order, include: affordable housing, employment opportunities that provide a living wage, access to mental health and substance use treatment, access to specialty care, and safe and efficient public transportation.

The assessment was completed on behalf of The Health Partnership, Northwest Colorado Health, Memorial Regional Health, UCHealth and Routt County Public Health.

Some interesting demographic notes from this year’s assessment show that 13% of people in the Yampa Valley are living in poverty, or approximately 4,911 people. Of those, 49% are age 25-64, and 23% are younger than 17. Almost 14% of people in Moffat County are food insecure and 10% in Routt County.

The percentage of older adults is increasing in the Yampa Valley with a current 18.7% of the population age 65 and older, compared to 14% in 2015-2019.

In Moffat County, almost 12% of people speak a language other than English, with almost 6% in Routt County.

Survey respondents ranked strengths of the Yampa Valley, including: being a good place to raise children (81%), every person and group can contribute to and participate in the community’s quality of life (64%), good place to grow old (61%), and networks of support for individuals and families during stress and need (54%).