2026 Community Needs Assessment

Key Findings from Community Needs Assessment

1. Social Determinants of Health & Economic Stability

Approximately 22% of working-age AMHR clients are unemployed, highlighting a significant need for expanded vocational and employment supports. This trend has direct implications for the sustainability of care, particularly as disruptions in insurance coverage are anticipated. Employment instability is closely linked with other SDOH challenges, reinforcing the need for integrated, whole-person care.

Family and partner conflict emerged as a top-five SDOH concern, indicating a gap in relational and family-based interventions. Current service offerings do not fully meet this need, suggesting an opportunity to expand therapeutic modalities such as couples and family therapy.

2. Service Access & Utilization

Survey respondents identified increased access to group therapy as a high priority. Demand for group-based services has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, largely due to gaps in workforce training and reduced clinician confidence in facilitating groups. Expanding group therapy presents a high-impact, cost-effective strategy to improve access, particularly for uninsured or underinsured populations.

The top two recommended improvements to services were increased appointment availability, including extended hours, and increased access to in-person services. The continued need for in-person access suggests inconsistencies in service delivery models and presents an opportunity to standardize expectations for hybrid care across programs.

3. Community Priorities & Service Gaps

Adult education and skill-building programs ranked among the top requested services by both clients and community stakeholders—above employment and medical services in some responses. This reinforces the importance of maintaining and expanding psychoeducational and life-skills programming as part of recovery-oriented care.

Additionally, individuals most commonly reported seeking mental health support first from friends, followed by medical providers, and then family members. This underscores the critical role of primary care and informal support systems in access to behavioral health care, and the need for stronger integration and outreach with physical health providers.

4. Workforce & Clinical Capacity

Findings indicate opportunities to strengthen clinical workforce competencies in group therapy facilitation, family and couples therapy, and delivery of in-person services within hybrid care models. Addressing these gaps through targeted training and supervision will be essential to meeting community demand and adhering to CCBHC standards for access and quality.

Data Sources & Methodology

The 2026 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) utilized a mixed-methods approach to ensure a comprehensive and data-informed understanding of behavioral health needs across the AMHR service area. This approach aligns with Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) requirements for population-based planning and integration of community voice.

Data sources included client, community, and stakeholder surveys; internal service and demographic data from AMHR’s electronic health record (EHR); and external data from local, county, and state sources. Surveys were designed to be accessible and inclusive, offered in multiple languages and formats to capture diverse perspectives and reduce barriers to participation.

Internal data analysis provided insight into service utilization patterns, demographic trends, and access disparities, while external data—supported by collaboration with the Aurora Research Institute (ARI)—ensured alignment with broader population health trends and statewide behavioral health priorities.

Together, these data sources provide a balanced and reliable foundation for identifying service gaps, informing strategic planning, and supporting continuous quality improvement.

Priority Populations

Consistent with CCBHC requirements and guidance from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the 2026 Community Needs Assessment places focused attention on populations with elevated behavioral health needs and increased risk of barriers to care.

Key priority populations include:

• Older adults who are experiencing increasing behavioral health needs and may face barriers related to access, mobility, and care coordination
• Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD), who require comprehensive, coordinated, and continuous care across the treatment continuum
• Uninsured and underinsured individuals, particularly in the context of anticipated coverage changes, who may experience challenges accessing and sustaining care
• Justice-involved individuals, who often present with complex clinical and social needs and benefit from coordinated, diversion-focused, and reentry services
• Culturally and linguistically diverse populations, reflecting the diversity of the Aurora community and the need for equitable, culturally responsive, and language-accessible services

Strategic Implications

The findings from the 2026 Community Needs Assessment offer several opportunities for AMHR to consider as part of ongoing strategic planning, service development, and alignment with CCBHC expectations and state priorities.

1. Supporting Economic Stability and Coverage Transitions

With 22% of working-age clients experiencing unemployment and anticipated shifts in Medicaid and insurance coverage in 2027, there may be value in exploring expanded vocational and benefits navigation supports. Potential considerations include:

• Enhancing supported employment services and community partnerships
• Integrating benefits navigation into clinical workflows where appropriate
• Aligning services with broader population health strategies to support continuity of care

These approaches may help mitigate access disruptions and support long-term stability for clients.

2. Expanding Scalable Clinical Modalities

The identified interest in group therapy and the presence of family or partner conflict as a key SDOH factor suggest opportunities to further explore scalable and relationship-centered interventions. AMHR may consider:

• Expanding group therapy offerings across programs
• Providing additional training or support for clinicians in group facilitation
• Exploring increased capacity for couples and family-based therapy

These modalities may support both access and outcomes while addressing identified community needs.

3. Enhancing Access & Service Delivery Consistency

Feedback related to appointment availability, extended hours, and in-person services may indicate opportunities to further assess how access is experienced across programs.

Considerations could include:

• Evaluating consistency of in-person and hybrid service delivery models
• Exploring expanded service hours where feasible
• Monitoring access-related metrics to inform ongoing improvements

These efforts may support alignment with CCBHC access standards and patient-centered care principles.

4. Strengthening Integrated Care & Community Partnerships

Given that many individuals report seeking behavioral health support through medical providers, there may be opportunities to further strengthen integration with physical health systems. AMHR could consider:

• Expanding partnerships with primary care providers and health systems
• Enhancing referral pathways and collaboration mechanisms
• Increasing outreach and education to medical partners

This approach may support earlier intervention and improved care coordination.

5. Sustaining and Elevating Adult Education & Skill-Building Services

The prominence of adult education programs in community feedback highlights their continued importance. AMHR may consider:

• Sustaining and potentially expanding adult education and life-skills programming
• Integrating these services into broader care pathways
• Continuing to position these programs as part of recovery-oriented care

These services may contribute to improved independence and overall wellness outcomes.

6. Supporting Workforce Development & Clinical Confidence

Workforce insights show ways to better support clinicians in delivering a range of services.

Considerations may include:

• Offering additional training in group therapy and relational modalities
• Strengthening supervision and peer learning opportunities
• Supporting confidence in delivering in-person and hybrid care

Investments in workforce development may enhance both service quality and access over time.

AMHR Community Needs Final Summary

The 2026 Community Needs Assessment demonstrates that AMHR has a strong foundation of community trust, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven insight to guide its next phase of growth. The breadth and depth of responses strengthen the credibility, reliability, and applicability of the findings, showing AMHR is responsive and accountable as a behavioral health provider.

The assessment also highlights opportunities to strengthen access, expand clinical modalities, and improve system integration, especially as insurance coverage changes and population health needs evolve.

By aligning strategic priorities with CCBHC certification requirements, SAMHSA guidance, and Colorado’s behavioral health transformation efforts, AMHR is wellpositioned to:

• Improve timely access to care
• Expand equitable and culturally responsive services
• Strengthen care coordination across systems
• Enhance outcomes through measurement-based and evidence-driven practices

The CNA will serve as a foundational document informing AMHR’s Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes, operational planning, and long-term strategy. We will integrate the findings into program development, workforce training, and partnership initiatives, and we will monitor progress using established quality and performance metrics.

AMHR’s commitment to applying these findings will help us continue advancing toward a comprehensive, person-centered, recovery-oriented system of care that meets the diverse and evolving needs of the community.