Address Colorado's mental health crisis through counseling, psychology, and psychiatry. Critical shortage of providers across the state.
Median Salary
$64,834
Statewide industry median
10-Year Growth
+24%
Statewide projection
Pathway Roles
14
Pathway roles
Required Education
Master's
Social Work/Psychology/Counseling
Explore Colorado Behavioral Health
Colorado's behavioral health system is restructuring and hiring—counselors, navigators, peer supporters and social workers are building crisis response, recovery and community care statewide.
Students and career changers can build meaningful work across the full behavioral health spectrum:
Counselor median salary
$62,380
Mental health/substance use counselor median annual wage in Colorado.
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.
SYSTEM RESTRUCTURE
The Behavioral Health Administration coordinates counseling, crisis response, addiction treatment and inpatient care statewide. That means new jobs, new partnerships and visibility for students.
CRISIS IS VISIBLE HERE
The 988 crisis line and expanded crisis infrastructure make this work frontline and public. Callers talk to real people—navigators, counselors, peer supporters.
PEER POWER
Colorado explicitly hires peer support workers and behavioral health navigators—people with lived experience who bridge clients and clinical systems. No advanced degree required to start.
LICENSURE LADDER CLEAR
Colorado DPO pages spell out requirements for social work licensure, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, addiction counseling and psychology. You can see the whole ladder.
CAREER CHANGER SKILLS FIT
Adults moving from healthcare, social services, military, or peer support backgrounds often transition naturally. Documentation and ethics matter more than prior title.
INPATIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
The Pueblo facility is a major employer and training ground for counselors, nurses, case managers and behavioral-health technicians.
Career paths · where you fit in
De-escalation, documentation, empathy and crisis response are portable from EMT, nursing, police, military and social-work backgrounds—often letting career changers start as peer supporters or case managers while pursuing licensure.
Essential resources for your educational journey
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