'First-of-its-kind' program inspires Colorado Springs high school students to explore mental health careers
A custom-designed program that's thought to be the first-of-its-kind in the nation to pique the interest of high school students to consider careers in the mental health field launched this semester in Colorado Springs as an experiment that seems to be proving its hypothesis.
With the COVID-19 pandemic realization of how depression, anxiety, loneliness and social isolation can affect children's lives, juniors and seniors want to learn about the industry and how they can envision themselves as part of it, said Neesha Lenzini, health science pathways coordinator for Colorado Springs School District 11.
"In its initial stages it was going to be 25 students, but we had so much interest we have 35 in the cohort," she said.
A $300,000 grant from the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration is funding the new Diversified Minds Mental Health Institute through June 2026. The inaugural group includes students from schools in District 11 and Harrison School District 2.
With a desire to help meet the profession's lack of diverse workers, organizers worked to "eliminate all possible barriers" for marginalized populations to participate, Lenzini said.
For example, all institute students receive free transportation and lunches to once-monthly classes that are held in different locations. Also, application requirements prioritized motivation and commitment over academic standards. And a few 20-year-old students from "opportunity schools" have been admitted.
Positions in the field are also diverse in nature.
Created with Diversus Health, one of the largest nonprofit behavioral health providers in the region, the curriculum includes students being introduced to the many jobs in the sector.
In addition to counselors, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers, employees work in legal, accounting, marketing, purchasing, billing, contracting, human resources and other operations departments that support delivery of behavioral health services, said Katie Blickenderfer, chief clinical officer at Diversus.
The fledgling mental health career-development program also provides credentialing through a suicide prevention awareness program and Mental Health First Aid training, networking, opportunities for concurrent enrollment and certification, and guidance on college tracks and beginner-level jobs.
After the program ends in April, Lenzini said students can seek entry into the workforce in such positions as front desk receptionist, initial intake, behavioral health assistant, peer specialist (particularly with applicable personal experience), marketing assistant, crisis phone response, and internships and apprenticeships.
"There's a lot where they can get their foot in the door," Lenzini said, "and as they get degrees, they could work for Diversus or other agencies, the Department of Human Services, school districts and organizations."
As students develop essential leadership and workforce skills, and learn about mentoring others, the final session next spring will feature mock job interviews and resume building to launch them into the next phase of their lives, Blickenderfer said.
The program is meant to "change the conversation around mental health in our schools and community," she said.
"There's always been a stigma around mental health care in general and accessing care if you're struggling," Blickenderfer said. "COVID helped bring forth mental health issues and made it more OK for people to ask for help.
"But the workforce isn't matching the number of people in demand for the care, and now we almost have to debunk the stigma around being a mental health care provider and what it means to be in the field."
A Sept. 12 presentation at D-11's Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus, which houses several alternative education programs, drew more than 100 students who learned about mental health myths and easy ways to destress, such as taking a walk, mindful eating, calling a friend and other intentional actions to create a positive experience for yourself.
Practicing laughter yoga was an audience favorite, Blickenderfer said, as laughing is a natural way to increase feel-good endorphins and dopamine in the body.
Students began the exercise by forcing themselves to laugh, inspired by peers who stood in front of the large group and made silly faces and gestures.
Soon, Blickenderfer said, the forced laughter transitions to real laughter and becomes a proven healing agent for the mind.
"We saw amazing things because they get to be in a safe space with kids that probably would never sit in a room with each other because they come from different walks of life," Lenzini said. "Creating a cohort and pathway for mental health creates safe support spaces so they can thrive, succeed and spread that to other students."
The course began and will end with a survey to help gauge its effectiveness.
"As an aspiring teacher, I want to be knowledgeable in mental health to help students," one participant wrote.
"I'm very interested and passionate about having a career as a mental health advocate/therapist," another student wrote. "I believe that this would help me become closer to my goals."
Another student said, "I enjoyed the sessions. I liked the fact that everyone got involved even if it was just them saying their name and what occupation they would like to pursue."
School engagement and other positive influences mean 60.5% of youth in the U.S. are flourishing, according to The State of Mental Health in America 2024. But 39.5% are not. One in five youth had at least one major depressive episode in the past year, the report states, and more than half of them, nearly 3 million youth, did not receive treatment.
Nearly one in four adults experienced a mental illness in 2021-22, according to the report. Yet there was only one mental health care provider for every 350 people in the U.S.
