An ‘invisible illness’ with more than 200 possible health effects is changing the fabric of the Roaring Fork Valley

As young people across the country continue to die in the fentanyl epidemic, El Jebel resident Cath Adams is spreading awareness in schools and other venues about the synthetic opioid drug after losing her 21-year-old daughter to an accidental overdose in 2020.

Mind Springs Health in Grand Junction was considering a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this year to offer inpatient mental health care services to detainees. But when community concern mounted over how the potential deal could make it easier for ICE to arrest immigrants in Western Colorado, the mental health care provider abandoned contract discussions.

Colorado was the first state to outlaw anonymous sperm donation. House Bill 1259 would reverse some of the transparency rules around sperm donor health history and make it easier for sperm banks to keep donors' identities secret.

To serve survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, Response opened a new shelter in Basalt in February. The public-facing location represents a new approach to transitional housing that prioritizes community over confidentiality, but safety concerns remain.

West Springs Hospital announced on Monday it’s closing its doors on March 10, 2025 after years of financial trouble. The closure also cut ties between Mind Springs and Larkin Health, which has been managing the nonprofit since November.

Mind Springs’ Board of Directors voted unanimously on Feb. 13 to stop pursuing a proposed contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after hearing ‘significant’ concerns from community members.

Raising a kid with disabilities can be challenging, and for many Spanish-speaking parents in the valley, the challenges are magnified when a majority of resources and services are offered primarily in English. That’s why Silt parent Indhira Barrón started the peer-support and resources group Pueblo Azul.

Naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote, will be more accessible to Mesa County residents thanks to a recently launched network of free naloxone kiosks.

For many who work in hospitality during the holidays, it can mean demanding clients and long hours. That’s why the Aspen-based nonprofit “Hospitality Matters” is spreading the word about ways for people working at restaurants and other service jobs to take care of their mental health during this time.