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Links to past Mental Health Minutes are below.

 

Knowing What’s in Our Community and How It Affects Our Kids

By: Lisa Eifling, Detective/ School Resource Officer

 

One of the most meaningful ways we can support the mental and emotional health of our kids is by staying aware of what they may be exposed to in our own community. Trends shift quickly, and when adults stay informed, we’re better able to guide kids through the choices and pressures they face every day.

 

Here in the Yampa Valley, we are seeing noticeable shifts in substance trends among teens. Since 2023, vaping has increased by 14.5 percent. In addition, 61 percent of students report that vape products are easy to get. And within just a five‑mile radius inside the city of Steamboat Springs, there are roughly 17.5 dedicated shops that sell either nicotine or marijuana products. With this level of availability, it’s understandable why teens may think these substances are common or harmless.

 

But early use of nicotine and marijuana can impact brain development, attention, emotional regulation, and overall mental health. These effects are more significant for teens whose brains are still developing, and early exposure increases the risk of longer‑term patterns of use.

 

We’re also seeing a rise in products marketed as “proprietary blends of nootropics.” These items are often advertised as focus boosters or mood enhancers. The concern is that these blends don’t always list their ingredients clearly and aren’t regulated the same way medications are. Teens may assume they are harmless supplements, even though some of the ingredients may affect sleep, heart rate, or mood in ways that aren’t safe for young people.

 

Parents don’t need to know every product on the market, but staying alert to behavior changes can be extremely helpful. Look for sudden irritability, unexplained anxiety, changes in sleep patterns, or physical signs of nicotine withdrawal. These signs don’t automatically mean a child is using substances, but they are cues that something might be going on and can be a good reason to start a gentle conversation.

 

Keeping communication open is one of the most effective ways adults can support kids. Ask curious, calm questions like, “What are kids seeing at school?” or “Have you heard anything about these products?” Kids are more likely to open up when they feel heard instead of judged.

Community connection matters too. Sharing information with other parents, checking in with school staff, and staying aware of local trends helps all of us respond early and support young people more effectively.

 

I will be continuing this conversation at the upcoming Parent Information Committee (PIC) meeting at Steamboat Springs High School on April 28th from 12 to 1:15 p.m. At that meeting, I’ll be diving deeper into the drug trends we’re seeing locally and sharing updates so parents can stay informed with current, accurate information. My goal is to make sure families have the knowledge and resources they need to support their kids.

 

Our community cares deeply about its young people and staying informed is one of the most powerful ways we can protect their well‑being. If we stay connected, stay aware, and keep the conversation going, we can help our kids navigate these challenges with confidence and support.

 

 

 

This is the continued Mental Health Minute, beginning July 7, 2025.

• April 8, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Building Calm from the Inside Out: Helping Children Learn to Regulate their Emotions
• March 31, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Update on the Hope Initiative
• March 15, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Understanding Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
• March 10, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Teens as a Catalyst for Change
• Feb. 23, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Alcohol Consumption
• Feb. 16, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — How Volunteering Can Support Your Mental Health
• Feb. 11, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Processing Grief
• Feb. 1, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Free Local Sober Events
• Jan. 26, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — The Nervous System
• Jan. 18, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — A message from Yampa Valley High School
• Jan. 11,  2026 — Mental Health Minute – Prioritizing Mental Health Like Physical Health (Youth-Focused)
• Jan. 4, 2026 — Mental Health Minute — Healing through tears, laughter and love
• Dec. 28, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — The HOPE Initiative from The Health Partnership
• Dec. 14, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Standing Together: Men’s Work and “Walking Each Other Home”
• Dec. 8, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — The Gut and Brain Connection
• Nov. 30, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Your Voice Matters
• Nov. 24, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Nov. 16, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Time Change Blues 
• Nov. 10, 2025 — Mental Health Minute – Navigating Changes in Midlife for Women
• Nov. 3, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Stress Management in Teens
• Oct. 28, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Day of the Dead
• Oct. 19, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Sacred Moments: Finding the Sacred in the Ordinary 
• Oct. 13, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Talk Saves Lives: Empowering Our Community to Prevent Suicide
• Oct. 6, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) comes to Northwest Colorado
• Sept. 29, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Get Immediate Support with the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line
• Sept. 22, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Theater as an Outlet
• Sept. 14, 2025 –Mental Health Minute — Connection in Times of Adversity
• Sept. 7. 2025 — Mental Health Minute – Sharing stories and building bridges at new event
• Aug. 31, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Message from Yampatika
• Aug. 25, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Mental Health After a Critical Incident: How to Help, What to Expect, and Taking Care of Yourself
• Aug. 17, 2025 — Mental Health Minute: Uncertainty Is Part of Life — But It’s Heavier for Some
• Aug. 11, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Re:generation: A Christ-Centered Path to Lasting Transformation
• Aug. 3, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Steps to Help Save A Life
• July 28, 2025 — Mental Health Minute — Steamboat Kids & Phones
• July 24-2025 — Mental Health Minute — Starting with the basics
• July 15, 2025 — Mental Health Minute – Helping Others through Peer Engagement and The HOPE Initiative
• LINK to all previous Mental Health Minutes — DECEMBER 1, 2024, THROUGH JUNE 23, 2025