BHS welcomes Ruth Krug, LCSW, as new workforce manager

New position focused on recruitment, retention of Larimer County behavioral health professionals to meet community needs

Ruth Krug, LCSW, will join the Larimer County Behavioral Health Services Department on April 6, 2026, in the new and unique role of behavioral health workforce program manager.

This position is needed at a time when Larimer County faces a growing demand for behavioral health services and a projected shortfall in the professionals needed to provide them over the next decade. 

“A healthcare system is only as strong as the people who power it. In Colorado, demand for care has nearly tripled, and while facilities provide the space, our providers provide the healing. This hire is about more than growing a team that serves our community — it’s about strengthening the human heartbeat of Larimer County’s behavioral health network,” said Amy Martonis, director of Behavioral Health Services. 

National data from the Health Resources and Services Administration and state claims data suggest local shortages of: 

• Psychiatrists: About 82 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions,
• Psychologists: About 130 FTE
• Mental health counselors: About 115 FTE
• Addiction counselors: About 185 FTE
• Social Workers: About 92 FTE
• Peers: About 150 FTE

The Behavioral Health Services Strategic Plan 2026-2030 has six priority areas to strengthen the county’s system of care. Behavioral Health Workforce Capacity is one of those priorities.

“This focus reflects a simple truth: No matter how innovative our programs or how dedicated our investments, the success of our behavioral health system ultimately depends on the people delivering care,” Martonis said. “An adaptive, highly skilled, and well-supported workforce is the foundation that allows our other goals to take root.”

In her new role, Krug will partner across systems to expand recruitment, development, and retention strategies tailored to the behavioral health workforce. This approach builds on — and does not duplicate — the County’s broader Economic and Workforce Development efforts, while applying a behavioral health lens to targeted investments.

Specific strategies within these areas will be developed collaboratively with community stakeholders, guided by available resources, and ultimately shaped through the leadership and direction of the Board of County Commissioners of Larimer County.

With this addition, the Behavioral Health Services Department will once again have six full-time employees who are charged with stewarding the investment of Larimer County’s dedicated behavioral health sales-use tax dollars. The department formed after voters in 2018 approved the 20-year tax initiative.

Krug was selected from an extremely competitive pool of nearly 100 candidates and brings with her a wealth of experience. Currently, she works as an adjunct professor in Colorado State University’s School of Social Work; runs a private practice as a clinical therapist and trauma-informed yoga therapist; and is a mental health therapist and clinical supervisor at The Willow Collective Foundation in Fort Collins.

She also has undergraduate training in nonprofit management, as well as experience with pediatric and adult care coordination, youth restorative justice, and leadership of international service teams focused on sustainable business, health, and empowerment projects.

She describes her approach to systems-change work as well-paced, collaborative and durable. She moves at the speed of trust, and envisions Larimer County as a workplace that is sought after by behavioral health professionals.

“Providers want to help more people. They want to be part of a cause and make a difference,” Krug said. “Together with our partners, we can ensure the community’s historic investment in behavioral health translates into accessible, timely, and high-quality care for all.”