A $50 million donation to the Colorado University Anschutz Medical Campus will launch a mental health collaborative to improve access and treatment options for mental health therapies around the state.

The Anschutz Foundation made the donation on Tuesday as part of the launch of a mental health collaborative with Colorado Children’s Hospital and UC Health. The initiative seeks $150 million in additional donations to “unite programs and drive new therapies” for patients of all ages, according to a press release by CU Anschutz.

“There is a critical need for mental health care support across our state. We hope this gift will help attract additional funding to advance this vital work in Colorado and beyond,” said Christian Anschutz, president of The Anschutz Foundation.

In 2024, 1,306 Coloradans died by suicide, including 39 children, ages 10-18, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Furthermore, 7,577 Coloradans visited the emergency room for “non-fatal suicide-related” reasons.

The funding by the Anschutz Foundation and from future donors will support several types of mental health intervention, including suicide prevention, community intervention, “crisis and acute care” including substance abuse treatment, and the advancement of new therapies such as neuromodulation, a type of bioelectronic medical therapy, according to the press release.

As part of its goal of community intervention, CU Anschutz will work with UC Health and Colorado Children’s Hospital to ensure people of all ages have access to mental health treatment, the press release stated.

The mental health initiative by CU Anschutz follows efforts that partnering hospitals have made for years.

Colorado Children’s Hospital declared a children’s mental health state of emergency in 2021 due to a sharp increase in youth suicide attempts after COVID-19.

Since the declaration, the hospital says it has made advancements in mental health care for children, but the initiative by CU Anschutz plans to stretch this impact through collaboration, improving accessibility and quality of mental health treatments for children and adults.

“This new mental health collaboration will bring our hospitals, researchers, and providers together to address one of the most pressing health challenges of our time with innovation, compassion and shared purpose,” said Tom Gronow, president and CEO of UC Health.