
Join the Healthy School Movement
Schools across Colorado are forming health and wellness teams, focusing on creating healthy schools and promoting healthy lifestyles. PTA support and leadership can help these teams be successful. Each school has a unique culture and, depending on their community’s needs, may have different areas of emphasis, such as the following:
- Healthy school nutrition programs
- Mental health and suicide prevention initiatives
- Social emotional health and equity education opportunities
- Access to opportunities for play, physical education, and movement in the classroom
- School security initiatives, safety education programs, crisis prevention and response
- Vaping, nicotine, marijuana, and other substance misuse prevention
- Safe and healthy use of digital media and technology
- Climate advocacy and action, sustainable energy, and healthy earth programs
- Immunizations and communicable diseases prevention
- Healthy school celebrations, family events, and non-food rewards
- Healthy fundraisers
- Healthy snack programs

Health, Wellness, and Safety Committee
Colorado PTA’s Health, Wellness, and Safety (HWS) Committee advocates for youth and families and provides resources to support a healthy school environment and foster health, wellness, safety, and equity for students and families across the state. The committee promotes a whole child strategy using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model recommended by the Colorado Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The framework uses an integrated, collaborative approach to address barriers and supports related to health and learning.Mental Health Support for kids and families
Call 988, Text/Chat 988: provides free, confidential support in English or Spanish, 24/7/365.
1(844)-493-8255, Text “TALK” to 38255: Provides free, confidential and immediate support by trained professionals and peer specialists, 24/7/365. In-person walk-in centers available, regardless of ability to pay.
1(866)-488-7386, Text 68-678: Suicide prevention and crisis intervention & information & support for LGBTQ+ young people, 24/7/365.
Youth Mental Health Program 303-866-6600 Connects youth with a licensed therapist for up to 6 free virtual counseling sessions (some in-person appointments available), for youth <18 years & <21 receiving special education services
University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry 303-724-4975 (8AM-5PM) or email depression.center@ucdenver.edu:
Dedicated to helping patients and families by providing treatment of depressive illnesses and related mood disorders.