萝莉少女

In response to skyrocketing youth suicide rates, one rural Colorado county is now offering kids two free vouchers to see a counselor at a local mental health center. 

It was a in Colorado鈥檚 Chaffee County who came up with the idea last year.  They pitched it to a local mental health center called based in Salida. The center agreed not only to participate, but to subsidize the therapy sessions from its own budget. 

鈥淭he teen can just call us and say I鈥檇 like one of these sessions. And we organize to make that happen,鈥� said Kelsey McNeill, a counselor and program supervisor at Solvista Health.

Kids can pick up their at school, the post office, the library, even their local arcade. McNeill says the program is aimed at increasing accessibility and reducing stigmas to mental health care.

鈥淥n the voucher it says something like, 鈥榃e all need somebody to talk to sometimes,鈥� and I just think it鈥檚 really cool that youth are encouraging other youth to get support when needed,鈥� she said.

If kids need more than two sessions to deal with their struggles, Solvista helps them sign up for ongoing care and get the financial assistance they may need. 

As far as she鈥檚 aware, McNeill says the free voucher program is a first of its kind. She says nearly 40 kids have used the vouchers so far.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUER in Salt Lake City, KUNR in Nevada, the O鈥機onnor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, and KRCC and 萝莉少女 in Colorado.

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