Find the right mental health resources for you in Colorado
Alex Menter, MD, a Kaiser Permanente Colorado oncologist, always found Stephanie to be cheerful and upbeat at her appointments, even though she was being treated for brain cancer. When an automatic notice from the electronic health record system alerted Dr. Menter that Stephanie was overdue for a depression screening, the care team had her complete an assessment at her next appointment. It revealed that Stephanie was suffering from severe depression.
“Depression wasn’t coming up as an issue when I talked to her,” Dr. Menter said. “And it wasn’t something that she’d brought up on her own.”
The same day as the assessment, Stephanie was connected with the Supportive Care team, so they could begin to address her condition immediately. Dr. Menter, who was named a 2018 Top Doctor by 5280 magazine said that Stephanie’s depression has since improved, and she continues to respond well to her cancer treatment.
Mental health is part of your total health
Mental health is critical to your overall well-being. You can be in good health physically but still feel depressed. And depression can affect your physical health by making it more difficult to follow care plans for chronic diseases such as diabetes or cancer. That’s why Kaiser Permanente Colorado builds mental health and wellness screenings into your care — whether it’s at a primary care visit or while you’re treated for a specific health condition.
And all of our medical offices have behavioral health specialists on-site who are available to help get you the care you need, when you need it. Your doctor can consult with them during one of your appointments, or they can work with you directly to set up a more in-depth treatment plan, if needed.
Mental health resources
We all experience feelings of sadness. But depression often lingers, and symptoms can include but aren’t limited to:
- Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or that life isn’t worth living
- Changes in appetite and/or weight
- Changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping too little or too much
- Loss of pleasure in activities you usually enjoy
- Having thoughts of suicide or harming yourself
If you’re experiencing these or other symptoms, we’re here to help. No matter where you live in Colorado, there’s a team ready to support you. For the location nearest you, call the numbers below.
- Denver/Boulder: Call the Behavioral Health Access Center at 303-471-7700 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Mountain Colorado: Call Beacon Health Options at 1-866-702-9026 (TTY 1-866-835-2755), anytime day or night.
- Northern Colorado: Call the Behavioral Health Access Center 1-866-359-8299 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Southern Colorado: Call Beacon Health Options at 1-866-702-9026 (TTY 1-866-835-2755), anytime day or night.
If you think you have a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
You don’t have to make an appointment for a screening if you feel like you’re depressed or need help. Take an online Depression self-assessment and then share the results with your doctor, who can provide a diagnosis. Together, you and your doctor can come up with the best treatment plan to meet your needs.
To learn more about depression and how to get support, or help a loved one, visit findyourwords.org.
Learn more about Dr. Menter and other Kaiser Permanente 5280 Top Doctors.
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