Seated before SummitStone Health Center Partners and County staff, the Larimer County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at its Dec. 17, 2024, meeting to approve an updated contract to continue round-the-clock behavioral health services provided at the Longview campus.

The amended contract for 2025 outlines the state-aligned high standards of care that individuals of all ages can expect to receive from SummitStone Health Partners staff at the Behavioral Health Services at Longview facility, nestled in the foothills between the cities of Fort Collins and Loveland. The contract term is Jan. 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.

Since opening Dec. 2, 2023, the Acute Care behavioral health urgent care saw about 500 visits each month – or over 6,000 visits in the first year – a total that affirms Larimer County voters’ decision to tax themselves to support much needed services. Many cities and states have behavioral health services taxes, but few have a tax-funded facility like Longview that symbolizes a shared commitment to caring for one another.

“The services provided at Longview tell an important part of the Larimer County story,” said Amy Martonis, director of Larimer County Behavioral Health Services, which distributes behavioral health tax dollars and administers the contract for services at Longview. “This unique public-private partnership demonstrates what we can achieve together.”

“Open all day, every day, Longview is funded by our community and is for everyone in our community,” Martonis said.

The majority of clients, as they are referred to, live in Larimer County and were walk-ins at the facility, located at Trilby and Taft Hill roads. About 71% were adults (ages 25-64); 25% were adolescents and youth (under 15-24); and 4% were seniors (ages 65 and older).

Prior to Longview’s opening, individuals had to go outside Larimer County to receive the same high levels of care that they can now get within their community.

Clients have access to individual and group therapy and an onsite pharmacy and lab at the Longview campus, along with the following:

• 10 exam rooms in Acute Care, the 24/7 behavioral health urgent care for all ages
• Four clinical recliners for 23-hour observation
• 16 beds for adults experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and
• 16 beds for medically-assisted withdrawal management (formerly known as detox)

“As we have completed our first full year of operating this 24/7 facility, we've learned valuable lessons about how to structure and support these services,” said Dr. Lesley Brooks, chief medical officer of SummitStone and executive director/medical director for Longview. SummitStone is contracted to manage operations of and services provided at the unique facility.

“Our staff have done an incredible job of providing innovative, high-quality, evidence-based, equitable, and compassionate care,” Brooks said, “And we look forward to continuing this life-changing work in the new year and beyond.”

There is a Joint Quality Outcomes Committee for evaluation of services at the Longview campus. It is facilitated by The Butler Institute for Families, a nationally recognized human services institute focused on research, evaluation and organizational resiliency and based out of the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work.

The Longview facility and County-SummitStone contract is unique in Colorado and across the nation, and there has been a lot of learning and adaptation throughout the first year of operations. In addition to data oversight by The Butler Institute, there will be monthly meetings to discuss the budget and overall operations, to ensure both organizations are being good stewards of taxpayer investments.

Changes reflected in the amended contract between the County and SummitStone for 2025 include adding eight beds for adolescents (ages 12-17) experiencing a behavioral health crisis. As of December 2024, there were 32 beds for adults only. The Longview campus has additional capacity for expansion of up to 16 more beds. Future planning will continue to be informed by our community needs.

The work of Larimer County Behavioral Health Services and SummitStone are aligned to identified needs within Larimer County and behavioral health outcomes chosen to improve the emotional wellbeing and health of all who visit, work, and live in the county. Learn more: www.larimer.gov/behavioralhealth