SoRoCo and Hayden School Districts receive $565K in grants

June 18, 2025 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens.

Local schools have been honored and recognized. The Colorado Department of Law is awarding $5 million in grants to nine school districts to strengthen school-community partnerships and promote youth wellbeing across the state. The South Routt School District, Hayden School District and Totally Kids will receive $565,000 to expand Out-of-School Time programming on Fridays and during summer break. First Impressions of Routt County is also a recipient to help promote skills of early childhood educators.

Here is the press release with more details, from Attorney General Phil Weiser; June 18, 2025.

Attorney General Phil Weiser announces $5 million in youth mental health and wellbeing grants

June 18, 2025 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser announced today that the Colorado Department of Law is awarding $5 million in grants to nine school districts and community organizations to strengthen school-community partnerships and promote youth wellbeing across the state.

“Youth in Colorado and across the nation are facing a crisis of connection, leading to challenges with mental health and risky behaviors like increased vaping,” said Attorney General Weiser. “This funding supports schools and community partners who are developing meaningful, proactive solutions that build strong relationships, empower youth, and promote lifelong wellbeing.”

This is the third round of funding stemming from the attorney general’s 2023 settlement with e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs, Inc. The settlement resolved a lawsuit that alleged Juul targeted youth in its marketing and misled the public about the health risks of its products. Collectively, the three funding rounds have now reached 49 of Colorado’s 64 counties. The first two rounds supported schools, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations in efforts to reduce youth vaping and promote protective factors—such as strong relationships, community involvement, and healthy coping skills—among young people across the state.

The Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Challenge Grants prioritize school-community collaboration and culturally responsive, prevention programming that addresses youth mental health and reduces vaping. The following nine projects were selected for their innovative, community-based approaches:

South Routt School District ($565,000) – The South Routt School District, Hayden School District, and Totally Kids will collaborate to expand Out-of-School time programming to increase access to physical activity and extracurricular opportunities for youth after school, on Fridays and during summer break. Routt County’s early childhood council, First Impressions, will use a trauma-informed Social and Emotional Learning approach to promote the skills of early childhood educators through teaching self-regulation and behavior management to support youth ages 3 to 8.
Clear Creek School District ($565,000) – Clear Creek School District’s project leverages a two-generation (2Gen) approach to foster student belonging, resilience, and community connection. By integrating restorative practices, career-connected learning, and mental health programming the initiative addresses barriers like geographic isolation and economic inequities to build intergenerational pathways to success.
Englewood School District ($560,000) – PATHS (Purposeful Actions Targeting Habits of Success) is a youth mental health and future success program for Englewood students from Pre-K to 12th grade, created in response to a 2021 districtwide needs assessment and community input. The program helps students build self-awareness, manage emotions, improve relationships, and plan for future careers while fostering resilience to avoid risky behaviors like vaping.
Gilpin County Parks & Recreation ($605,154) – This initiative will expand Gilpin County’s extra-curricular programming, maintain evidence-based prevention education for youth ages 5 to 18 and support their youth leadership team in planning activities and events. They will also expand community partnerships, collaborations, and coalitions to guide and sustain youth programs.
Ignacio School District ($450,000) – The Pathways to Wellness program will create comprehensive support systems for Ignacio School District students in grades 6 to 12 by providing dedicated mental health services through a new Student Wellness Program that honors Southern Ute Indian Tribe cultural values. Integrating evidence-based approaches, the program supports mental health, substance use prevention, resiliency, and career exploration, while also engaging families through workshops and community partnerships to foster student wellbeing and lasting community connections.
Kiowa County Public Health Agency ($360,000) – The Kiowa County Public Health Agency will create inclusive youth councils at Eads and Plainview Schools, welcoming elementary, middle, and high school students. These councils will empower students to identify and address community-specific issues and contribute to county-wide initiatives.
Las Animas School District ($444,591) – The Las Animas School District’s Empower Together program will address students’ mental health and behavioral challenges through evidence-based curricula, peer and family engagement, student workshops, and community events. The program aims to increase youth resilience, promote belonging, reduce substance use and increase community connections.
Northeast Colorado BOCES ($750,000) – The Northeast Colorado BOCES’ Connected Futures initiative addresses critical youth mental health challenges in the Golden Plains region by integrating Social Emotional Development with Career-Connected Learning for all Pre-K to 12 students across 12 rural districts. Leveraging existing resources and partnerships, the project aims to reduce absenteeism, enhance educator capacity, and empower youth for long-term resilience and student success.
Roaring Fork School District ($700,255) – Roaring Fork Schools and Family Resource Centers of the Roaring Fork Schools will partner with Aspen Hope Center and Stepping Stones to increase youth mental health, protective factors, and resilience, and decrease high-risk behaviors such as the use of vaping. The initiative will advance integrated systems of support and promote positive school climate, community connectedness, and relationships with positive adults.

All grant funding pending contract execution.

To further support this work, the Denver Broncos Foundation and the Colorado Department of Law will co-host a statewide youth mental health summit, Teaming Up for Youth (opens new window), on July 17, 2025, at Empower Field at Mile High. Featuring keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Lisa Damour, the event will bring together youth advocates, school and community leaders, nonprofits, and other partners committed to advancing youth wellness across Colorado.