Mental Health

Comprehensive Inpatient, Outpatient and Primary Care Behavioral Health Services

lobby room As our community’s demand for mental health care increases, so does Boulder Community Health’s commitment to evolving and extending crucial services. That's why we offer the broadest and deepest range of behavioral health services in Boulder County. Our services are offered on both an inpatient and outpatient basis in order to best meet each patient's specific needs. Boulder Community Health’s Live Better Primary Care also offers behavioral health services for less severe conditions.

The Della Cava Family Medical Pavilion – the newest addition to our Foothills Medical Campus — helps address the gap in our community's mental health care. This state-of-the-art facility will transform local mental health care through its innovative services and inspiring design. This facility will house all of BCH's comprehensive mental health services in an innovative, thoughtfully-designed healing environment. To learn more about this amazing facility, please visit the Della Cava Family Pavilion page.

The Della Cava Family Medical Pavilion is located at 4801 Riverbend Road, Boulder, CO 80301.

Mental Health Services

We recognize that it's important to offer a range of services to fully reflect the mental health needs of our community. Our outpatient treatment services are designed to address a wide range of mental health issues, including anxiety, panic, depression and attention deficit disorder. We also offer therapy and counseling for individuals, families and in a group setting. Our inpatient treatment program offers intervention and support for adults in acute emotional crisis.

BCH's mental health services include:

Adult Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit
BCH Counseling Center (Outpatient Behavioral Health)
Guerra Fisher Institute & Boulder ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy)
Pathways PHP
Live Better Primary Care Behavioral Health
Additional Resources

Please see the sections below for more details about each service and clinic.

Adult Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit

Adults experiencing a psychological or emotional crisis can find professional intervention and support within Boulder’s only adult Inpatient Behavioral Health program. For patients admitted to our program, our team manages disorders including:

Woman Looking Out Window

Anxiety and panic
Bipolar 1 and 2
Borderline personality
Co-occurring substance use disorders
Major depression
Mania
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Post-traumatic stress
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Self-harm behaviors
Suicidality

Our interdisciplinary team monitors patients around-the-clock until their symptoms stabilize and they’ve developed the necessary coping skills to safely transition to the next level of care.

Providers at the inpatient unit include:

Christopher B. Reyburn, M.D.
Michael Stanger, M.D.
Rachel Edwards, PA-C

Upon admission, patients have a comprehensive assessment in which our therapists will then develop individualized treatment and discharge plans. During hospitalization, patients receive psychiatric care, group therapy and education services. Patients and their families receive education concerning the patient’s diagnosis, medications, treatment and discharge plans. We help patients prepare for their return to the community by providing referrals to resources for on-going support and treatment.

hospital room During your stay, patients have a comprehensive assessment to develop individualized treatment and discharge plans. Trauma-informed care is provided, which emphasizes physical, psychological and emotional safety for survivors, helping to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.

Patients have access to a compassionate, highly qualified, multidisciplinary team of experts who work closely to facilitate the fastest route to recovery and remission. We support each patient with a psychiatrist, therapist, psychiatric nurse, behavioral health technician, case manager and navigator. Physical and occupational therapy, as well as spiritual care is also available when needed. Additionally, patients can work in groups with other specialized practitioners, such as an art therapist, for progress towards wellness.

Our team divides their attention amongst a relatively small group of patients, improving the impact of treatment and safety.

We believe that each patient is unique, which is why we develop a care plan tailored to a patient’s specific needs. Individualized plans focus on the development of coping skills and healthy routines.

Patients live in a caring and safe environment where they receive any combination of the following:

Daily evaluation and care by a psychiatric provider
Multidisciplinary psycho-education and therapy groups
Supportive care to encourage healthy behavior changes, such as good sleep habits
Education on diagnosis, medications, nutrition and community resources
Medication assessment and evaluation
Family therapy and education
Assistance with identifying and practicing useful coping skills
Specialized programs, such as art therapy, movement therapy and pet therapy
Opportunities to transition to outpatient programs that are part of the patient's discharge plan

We also offer services unmatched, innovative therapies in Boulder County such as:

Expressive Therapy: Uses patients’ desire to create—be it music, poetry, dance or other artistic forms—as a therapeutic tool to help initiate change.

Transition of care:

Patients and their families receive education about diagnosis, medications, treatment and discharge plans. We collaborate with patients to prepare for their return to the community by scheduling appointments with existing outpatient care providers or with new outpatient care providers that the patient feels will be supportive.

State-of-the-art unit:

Entering the Della Cava Family Medical Pavilion, one thing immediately stands out: a nature-friendly design extends throughout the entire building. This biophilic design, incorporating nature and representations into indoor space, helps to reduce stress, enhance clarity of thought and expedite healing. The inpatient unit - a soothing, healing atmosphere that's safe yet maintains personal dignity and control - features:

Private, calming patient rooms
A "neighborhood" design
Elements of nature to reduce stress
Tunable lighting to reinforce the body's natural circadian rhythms
A courtyard to stimulate the senses
Unique mini-environments

For information about admission to the inpatient behavioral health treatment program, please call 303-415-7778 or 303-415-8621.

BCH Counseling Center (Outpatient Behavioral Health)

therapy session The BCH Counseling Center provides treatment services designed to address mental health issues such as:

Depression and anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Trauma
Grief/loss
Relationship and life adjustment challenges

BCH Counseling Center Services

We are committed to providing effective and evidence-based counseling delivered in a caring environment. Our program offers these services to those 18 years of age and older:

Counseling services: individual and group
Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
Care coordination
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (see below for more info)

The Counseling Center services are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Our clinicians are State of Colorado licensed social workers, counselors and psychiatrists. We adhere to Federal, State and professional confidentiality standards.

Physicians at the outpatient counseling center include:

BCH Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Outpatient Program

Our Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) informed treatment model is effective with helping individuals learn to regulate and more effectively manage ingrained, persistent and very challenging patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. DBT encourages the individual to practice self-acceptance, while at the same time embracing the necessity for core change.

DBT combines cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness skills delivered through a highly structured approach to group and individual therapy. DBT participants have the opportunity to learn and practice the following skills:

Mindfulness/Self-Acceptance
Distress Tolerance
Emotional Regulation
Interpersonal Relationship

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program Details

DBT groups meet 3 times a week from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for a 9-week cycle. Individual therapy is provided on a weekly basis. A psychiatric evaluation is a required program component and ongoing medication management is available.
Group therapy is focused on the acquisition of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness skills. Individual therapy is designed to provide the participant with the opportunity to discuss and evaluate how they are applying the DBT skills to their unique life experiences and challenges.
Most insurance policies cover Dialectical Behavior Therapy. We work closely with your insurance company to get you the treatment you need. A 60% discount is available if you choose our prompt pay option. For more information, call 303-415-4700.

To learn more about any of the services offered at the BCH Counseling Center or to schedule an appointment, please call 303-415-4299.

Guerra Fisher Institute & Boulder ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy)

therapy session Our highly skilled psychiatrists treat adults suffering from complicated mental illnesses such as treatment-resistant depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. We conduct exhaustive patient evaluations, which involve:

Consulting with patients and their families
Reviewing prior treatment efforts
Arranging for consultations from other medical disciplines

From this thorough evaluation, we create a treatment plan that may include psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, alternative therapies and, when indicated, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). When indicated, we offer ECT to patients. Collectively, our psychiatrists have nearly five decades of experience and have performed more than 60,000 ECT treatments, making them the most experienced ECT practitioners in the Mountain States region. We also provide referrals for Ketamine Infusion Therapy and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

Psychiatrists at this Institute include:

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is most commonly used to treat severe depression and is often the safest, fastest and most effective therapy available for that illness. ECT is also sometimes used to treat patients with manic illness or schizophrenia. This treatment is available as an inpatient or outpatient basis.

Studies indicate that 80 to 90 percent of depressed individuals who receive ECT treatment respond favorably, making ECT the most effective treatment for all forms of depression. ECT is believed to correct biochemical abnormalities that underlie severe depressive illness. The techniques for administering ECT have improved considerably over the past 25 years.

Before ECT begins, a patient’s medical condition is carefully assessed with a complete medical history, physical examination and laboratory tests. The number of treatment sessions needed to successfully treat severe depression ranges from four to 20. The treatments are usually given three times per week -- Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

ECT is performed under general anesthesia, meaning patients are in a sleep-like state and unaware the procedure is taking place. During the procedure, electrical currents are quickly passed through the brain to induce a brief seizure. This causes changes in the brain’s chemistry, which has beneficial mood effects.

Breaking the ECT Myths

Unfortunately, because of the way it has been portrayed in movies and TV shows, some people have the wrong impression of ECT. As a result, the therapy isn’t helping as many people as it could. Such misconceptions are based on early ECT treatment, which began more than 80 years ago. In the early days, when it was known as “electroshock therapy,” treatment could be very painful and cause serious side effects. Today, ECT is much safer. It’s now delivered in a controlled setting, with patients surrounded by a team of specialized psychiatrists, anesthesiologists and registered nurses.

Why Choose BCH for ECT?

At BCH, ECT services are provided by the Guerra Fisher Institute and offer:

The most experienced practitioners in the Mountain States region: Collectively, our psychiatrists have nearly five decades of ECT experience and have performed more than 60,000 treatments.
Seasoned ECT nurses: Our team of registered nurses have subspecialty training in ECT and an average of over 10 years of experience.
A commitment to collaborating with referring clinicians: Our psychiatrists work closely and constantly communicate with patients’ referring clinicians, striving for seamless integration of care.
A leading health care system: Located on the Foothills Medical Campus, our program offers access to the full resources of Foothills Hospital. And, it’s the only program in Boulder County operated by a not-for-profit health system.

To schedule an appointment at the Guerra Fisher Institute, please call 303-415-8611.

Pathways PHP

Boulder Community Health’s new virtual partial hospitalization program offers mindfulness-based nature therapy to individuals with a broad range of mental health issues.

With our short-term, remote outpatient program, you'll be able to embark on a journey to address mental health issues through positive experiences in nature, hands-on activities and online group sessions to aid in your treatment.

BCH's Pathways PHP is a 10 day (Mon-Fri, 4-5 hr./day) program that provides individuals with a patient-centered, holistic approach to enhance their social health and well-being. Our mindfulness-based techniques, coupled with nature-based care, engage patients in outdoor activities to build resilience and help overcome mental health challenges.

Click here to learn more about Pathways PHP.

Additional Resources
For immediate 24/7 support, contact the State of Colorado's crisis line at 1-844-493-8255 or text "TALK" to 38255.
For further treatment resources for mental health or substance abuse in Boulder County, click here.