Special to the HT
RBC | Here at YouthZone, we’re comfortable talking about substance use and its harmful impacts on communities. One of the most prominent crises of our generation revolves around the misuse of opioids and the dangerous pathway from prescription pills to heroin and fentanyl. For the last decade, a wide variety of local and state governments have pursued aggressive litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers, arguing that their misleading promotion and insufficient control of these drugs has been a major contributor to the crisis. These lawsuits have resulted in more than $56 billion in settlements, which local governments across the nation are now tasked with allocating. YouthZone – which is one of Western Colorado’s only youth‑focused, trauma‑informed, Medicaid‑credentialed behavioral health providers – is uniquely positioned to convert settlement funding into Hopeful Youth, Strong Families, and Safe Communities.
For exactly 50 years, YouthZone has partnered with municipalities, school districts, law enforcement agencies, and courts to provide court diversion, substance use education, mental health, and restorative justice services for youth in Pitkin, Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Eagle counties. We serve nearly 500 youth and more than 1,200 additional community members every year and consistently produce strong outcomes. 84% of our clients do not reoffend while working with us, 92% complete their contracts, 56% report measurable improvement in at least one of our core target areas: drug and alcohol refusal skills, school and community engagement, problem‑solving and optimism, and levels of trauma.
However, these aren’t just program metrics – they’re indicators of future cost savings for courts, hospitals, schools, and local governments.
Federal and Local Leaders Continue to Invest in YouthZone
YouthZone’s recent funding successes reflect its credibility and alignment with regional priorities. In February 2026, YouthZone was awarded $115,000 through Senator John Hickenlooper’s congressionally directed spending process, with funds earmarked specifically for expanding youth behavioral health and substance use services in under-served communities. “Every kid deserves a fair shot,” according to Senator Hickenlooper, especially those in the farthest reaches of Western Colorado. “YouthZone’s programs give our young people the support they need to succeed. We are happy to secure funding that helps them build stronger communities in rural Colorado.”
This direct federal investment – a historic milestone for our organization – builds upon a variety of other local commitments. In January 2026, the Garfield Board of County Commissioners awarded YouthZone $100,000 in opioid settlement dollars. The allocation of these funds “is a good and appropriate use of the State and Federal opioid dollars that are passed through to Garfield County,” says Chairman Tom Jankovsky. “Intervention and working with YouthZone on drug and alcohol counseling will have a positive impact on our youth and our communities.”
Strategic Partnerships Spur Sustainable Growth
This year, YouthZone became a Medicaid-credentialed behavioral health provider with the help of Practice Support, a local medical billing and coding company run by Glenwood Springs residents Dr. Nichole Hardy Swann and Jason Swann. Their technical assistance helped us secure thousands of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements in just the last three months. For local governments and individual donors, this matters: every dollar spent with YouthZone is multiplied, because Medicaid can reimburse ongoing services far beyond the lifespan of settlement funding. Few local nonprofits have this infrastructure in place—and fewer still serve youth specifically.
YouthZone is also growing its physical capacity to meet community needs. In partnership with the City of Rifle, YouthZone has submitted a competitive request for a $750,000 Opioid Settlement Infrastructure Grant to renovate and modernize its Rifle office. If awarded this summer, the project will improve access to services for the entire lower Grand Valley, bring the facility up to modern behavioral health standards, and revitalize the Railroad Ave corridor. While the award decision is pending, the collaboration itself underscores the city’s recognition of YouthZone’s central role in prevention, diversion, and youth counseling services.
Daniel Knudsen, YouthZone’s contracted Grants Manager and co-founder of Knudsen Coaching and Consulting, notes that the laundry list of awards and partnerships are “what’s possible when strong community-based organizations are paired with strategic grant development and advocacy support. At KC&C, we are proud to help small nonprofits navigate complex federal funding processes, strengthen their positioning, and secure the resources they need to grow sustainable, high-impact programs that keep communities healthy and connected.”
YouthZone is one of the few organizations in Western Colorado that is ready to receive opioid settlement dollars and immediately convert them into youth behavioral health services. For elected officials and budget staff evaluating how best to use one-time funds, YouthZone offers proven impact, long-term sustainability, regional scalability, cost efficiency, and community trust.
Opioid settlement funds represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen Colorado’s behavioral health ecosystem. YouthZone stands ready to ensure that rural communities have the infrastructure, clinical capacity, and financial sustainability needed to foster Hopeful Youth, Strong Families, and Safe Communities long into the future.