- EssentialA role that keeps core services and infrastructure running for Colorado communities.
- Critical ShortageA role where employers face a significant shortage of qualified workers relative to demand.
- Top JobColorado Talent Pipeline Report-aligned occupation with strong annual openings, growth, and wage signals.
Behavioral Health Career Pathways
Address Colorado's mental health crisis through counseling, psychology, and psychiatry. Critical shortage of providers across the state.
Behavioral Health Administration
Cabinet-level
Colorado's BHA coordinates services statewide at the executive level.
Crisis service anchor
988 line
Colorado's 988 line and crisis infrastructure make behavioral health visible and accessible.
Colorado Mental Health Hospital
Major inpatient anchor
Pueblo-based facility anchors the state's inpatient behavioral-health system.
Annual openings
23,366
Statewide across pathway roles
Interactive walkthrough
Explore My Colorado Journey Career Pathways
Learn how to browse Behavioral Health careers, compare pathway levels, and use Colorado labor-market information to plan your next step.
Explore Colorado Behavioral Health
What to know about Behavioral Health
A quick look, straight from Colorado’s industry data.
Find Your Passion
A career in behavioral health provides opportunities to work in family services, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, hospitals, government, schools, or in a private practice. You can choose to work with those individuals or groups you are most passionate about supporting, teenagers, the incarcerated, families, and elderly, to mention just a few.
Improve Your Community
Behavioral health professionals and specifically social workers, help communities function. Some work directly with individuals, conducting needs assessments and making referrals to resources in the community. Others assess needs on a larger scale and may plan and administer programs that provide advocacy and improve community services.
Make a difference
In times of socioeconomic stress, the need for behavioral health services increases. Behavioral health professional interventions make a difference in reducing suicidal behavior by treating the underlying mental conditions. Telehealth improves accessibility by allowing patient and clinician interaction over telecommunications.
Student Support Services
Essential resources for your educational journey
College Scorecard
Compare college costs, graduation rates & outcomes
Apprenticeship Directory
Find registered earn-while-you-learn programs
Apprenticeship Intermediaries
Get help connecting to Colorado registered apprenticeships
ICAP Resources
Individual Career & Academic Planning tools
Interest Assessments
Discover careers that match your interests
