Abigail Smedly August 12, 2025

August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day, and as the opioid crisis continues to impact lives across Colorado and the nation, 2025 is a pivotal year to reflect on what’s working and where more support is needed. Here in Chaffee County, we’re seeing firsthand the importance of early prevention, community collaboration, and addressing the deeper roots of substance use.

While Chaffee County may seem far from urban drug epidemics, rural communities are not immune. We face unique challenges: higher stigma, difficulty accessing care and communication barriers. Opioid-related deaths are rising statewide, with fentanyl now the leading cause of overdose deaths.

Locally, the impact is felt not only in our emergency room and Solvista Health’s Regional Assessment Center (RAC), but also in our schools, courts, jails, and homes. Many people struggling with opioid use have also experienced trauma, housing instability, or untreated mental health issues.

Youth, too, are vulnerable. Many begin misusing opioids through prescriptions found at home, often in response to stress, anxiety, or peer pressure. Our rural geography compounds challenges because of limited access to care and support services.

There’s hope and progress. Chaffee County is stepping up in powerful ways:

  • Naloxone (Narcan) distribution is expanding, thanks to local partnerships with Chaffee County Public Health and other community providers. 
  • Youth prevention programs through our schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, Solvista Health, Partnership for Community Action, BV Pride Coalition, Chaffee County Youth Alliance and Family and Youth Initiatives offer just some of the programs locally to help foster resilience and open conversations.
  • Chaffee County Public Health’s Behavioral Health Navigation Program. Connecting individuals to mental health support, crisis services, and recovery programs.
  • Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is available through providers like Solvista Health, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Centers, Green Line Substance Use Services, Valley-Wide and other local community providers   
  • The collaborative effort of Colorado Opioid Abatement Council Region 15 involving Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, and Park counties that strategically utilize the opioid settlement funds to reduce the harm caused by the opioid crisis in their communities.  For more information, please visit Region 15  
  • The newly created Chaffee County Behavioral Health Coalition is striving to cultivate a comprehensive and inclusive network promoting the continuum of behavioral health services, supports, and resources.

Opioid prevention isn’t just about statistics, it’s about our communities’ stories. We’ve witnessed amazing recoveries when the right support, connection, and compassion are available.  We have also seen community members lose jobs, families, and their health after becoming dependent on prescription opioids they once trusted.

Through Chaffee County Public Health’s Behavioral Health Navigation Program, we have learned that early intervention and human connection and positive relationships can truly save lives. What you can do is: 

  • Dispose of all unused medications at area pharmacies. Used needles can be dropped at the Salida Library, Buena Vista Drug, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center or Chaffee County Public Health.  
  • Carry and know how to administer naloxone/Narcan. You could save a life! Narcan Trainings 
  • Talk openly with youth about stress and substance use.
  •  Check in on friends and family.  Connection matters and there is hope!

For local resources, Narcan access, or help navigating care, contact:

  • Chaffee County Public Health
  • Your local primary care physician for a prescription  
  • Solvista Health
  • Or visit www.chaffeeresources.org

Addressing the opioid crisis means seeing the whole person, not just the substance. It means starting with prevention, providing compassionate, person-centered treatment, and fostering a community that shows up without shame or blame.

Let’s keep building a community that cares.
Ready for change? Ready to thrive!  Together we can! Together We Can!  

What the Health: Suicide Prevention in Chaffee County

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

Mental health affects every one of us, and suicide remains a leading cause of death in Colorado, especially in rural communities like ours. In 2025, as we continue to break down stigma and expand local resources, Chaffee County is coming together to promote awareness, prevention, and healing.

While we may picture suicide as something distant or uncommon, the reality is that many of us have been personally impacted, whether through family, friends, clients, or colleagues. Our rural setting adds challenges like isolation, lack of access to behavioral health care, and persistent stigma around asking for help.

Colorado consistently ranks among the top 10 states for suicide deaths, with rural counties experiencing higher rates than urban areas. Here in Chaffee County, we see the ripple effects not only in our emergency room and homes, but also in our jails and  workplaces. 

Youth and young adults are facing unprecedented pressures related to identity, relationships, sports, social media, and academic stress.

Men, especially those 35–65, are statistically most at risk for dying by suicide, often due to unaddressed mental health concerns, substance use, or economic stressors.

LGBTQ+ individuals and veterans face higher rates of suicidal thoughts due to trauma, discrimination, or lack of support.

Behind these numbers are real people and real Chaffee County families forever changed.  But there is hope, and action is happening locally to address suicide risk and promote mental wellness. 

One of the programs on the front lines of supporting individuals experiencing mental health challenges, suicidality, and substance use, including opioid misuse, is Chaffee County Public Health’s Behavioral Health Navigation Program. This program connects individuals to mental health support, crisis services, and recovery programs.   It works in collaboration with other local efforts to strengthen suicide prevention and increase awareness around opioid abuse. Youth programs through our schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, Solvista Health and other local partners are teaching emotional regulation, resilience, and connection. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training is being offered to equip community members with tools to recognize warning signs and take action. 24/7 Crisis Services are available through Solvista Health, including mobile crisis response teams who meet people where they are at home, work, or school.  Grief and loss support groups are available locally for those impacted by suicide or mental health loss.

In Chaffee County, local healthcare providers, therapists, and community members alike have sat with parents fearful for their children, adults overwhelmed by silent struggles, and survivors of suicide loss searching for healing. We’ve also witnessed moments of hope when someone felt seen, heard, and received the right support at just the right time.

Suicide prevention isn’t just a program. It’s relationships, safety nets, and listening without judgment.

 Check in on friends, coworkers, and loved ones, even when they seem “fine”.  Ask directly if you’re concerned about someone. You won’t “plant the idea,” and it could save a life.  Share resources and normalize reaching out for help.  Learn the warning signs of withdrawal, changes in behavior, hopelessness, or sudden mood shifts

For support, referrals, or to talk to someone:

Suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, co-worker, or neighbor, your presence and compassion matter.

Let’s continue to build a Chaffee County where mental health is prioritized, support is accessible, and no one has to struggle alone.

It starts with one conversation.
You are not alone.  Hope is here.