The Challenge
Mental health services remain underutilized in many communities due to barriers such as stigma, lack of awareness, language access, and mistrust in traditional health systems. Historically, communities of color, rural populations, and other groups have faced unique obstacles in accessing crisis support.
To ensure all Coloradans knew about and trusted the new 988 Mental Health Line, Colorado’s Behavioral Health Administration needed a strategic approach tailored to the needs of diverse communities.
Our Approach
Rather than relying solely on traditional public awareness channels, we worked closely with trusted messengers—community leaders, local organizations, and grassroots advocates—to share information about 988 in ways that resonated with their communities.
This strategy helped address key barriers by:
- Reducing Stigma: Encouraging open conversations about mental health within communities where seeking help might be seen as a sign of weakness.
- Building Trust: Leveraging the credibility of local leaders and organizations to deliver information in culturally relevant ways.
- Improving Accessibility: Providing multilingual materials and outreach efforts to ensure that language was not a barrier to accessing 988.
- Clarifying Misconceptions: Addressing fears about law enforcement involvement and emphasizing the confidential and supportive nature of the service.
Using our SE2 PowerMap™ approach, we engaged 43 partners across the state to raise awareness of 988 through digital media and over 172 local events.
The Impact
By meeting people where they are and using voices they trust, the campaign has successfully expanded access to mental health support, particularly among communities that have historically underutilized these services.
Through our statewide network we had meaningful conversations with over 32,000 Coloradans and reached another 70,000 individuals through online platforms, leading to significant, positive changes in awareness and perceptions about 988.
The strategy was so effective that SE2 has been engaged to continue and expand this work in 2025 and beyond.
