Mental health touches us all. It’s not a distant issue — it’s here, in our schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and homes. It’s the teenager battling anxiety, the parent weighed down by grief, the first responder absorbing trauma from every call. And when needs go unmet, the ripple effects are devastating — seen in lives lost, families fractured, and communities struggling with cycles of despair and violence.

Colorado is in crisis. A 2024 Mental Health America study ranked our state 46th in the nation when measuring both the prevalence of mental illness and access to care. That statistic is more than a ranking—it is a wake-up call. Too many Coloradans suffer in silence. Families navigate crises without support. Children wait months for appointments. First responders shoulder unbearable burdens with little care for themselves. And stigma still keeps far too many from asking for help.

That is why The Anschutz Foundation has committed a $50 million challenge gift to launch the CU Anschutz Campus Mental Health Collaborative, with the goal of raising a historic $200 million. This is not just philanthropy — it is an investment in hope, healing, and resilience.

We chose CU Anschutz for a reason. With Children’s Hospital Colorado and UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital as partners, CU Anschutz has the expertise, infrastructure, and proven commitment to expand access to life-saving care. The new Collaborative will strengthen crisis response, support first responders, and deliver services where people need them most—whether that’s a classroom, a hospital, a workplace, or a kitchen table.

But here’s the truth: no single gift, institution, or effort can solve this crisis alone. Real change will require all of us—public and private partners, community leaders, and everyday Coloradans — standing together to meet this challenge.

This September, during Suicide Awareness Month, we are reminded of what is at stake. Mental health struggles do not discriminate, and neither should hope. Every child, every parent, every first responder, every community deserves access to the care they need, when they need it.

This campaign is not about reaching a fundraising target — it is about meeting a human need. It is about standing with those who give so much of themselves to others. It is about ensuring that no one has to carry their burdens alone.

We can build a Colorado where asking for help is answered with compassion, and where mental health care is treated not as a privilege, but as a lifeline.

I invite you to join us. Together, we can bring hope and healing to countless lives — and change the story of mental health in Colorado and beyond.

Christian Anschutz is President of The Anschutz Foundation, Vice Chairman of the Gazette, and a member of the Gazette’s Editorial Board.