Colorado Mental Wellness Network

What it reported doing in 2024

Education - Peer Support Professional Training: CMWN is the first-ever peer-run behavioral health organization to offer Peer Support training in Colorado. We are Colorado's premier provider of PSP training, which equips individuals living in recovery with the tools to support others in moving toward wellness. This non-clinical approach is uniquely effective as it reduces the power differential between parties and allows the PSP and participant to work toward the participant's goals through a lens of shared experience. CMWN's virtual PSP trainings, held 11 times per year, follow a robust 72-hour curriculum originally developed with the support of the National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS). Trainings are delivered by individuals from diverse backgrounds, and this diversity-across race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and lived experiences-ensures that our trainings are culturally responsive and resonate with a wide range of participants. Since 2012, CMWN has delivered PSP trainings to 672 individuals. Peer Support Supervisor Training: In addition to training PSPs directly, CMWN delivers virtual training three times per year for PS Supervisors, which we developed in collaboration with the Community & Behavioral Health Division of the Department of Public Health & Environment. PS Supervisors may or may not be PSPs themselves and may or may not share personal lived experiences with mental health, substance use, trauma, and/or co-occurring conditions. Due to the uniqueness of the PSP role, CMWN has found PS Supervisors often lack clear understanding about their roles and responsibilities. CMWN's PS Supervisor training increases their understanding and effectiveness, in turn increasing programmatic success. To date, CMWN has delivered PS Supervisor trainings to 155 individuals. Quarterly Peer Support Networking Events: In addition to initial trainings, CMWN offers virtual Quarterly Peer Networking Events (QPNEs) to enhance connectivity and continuing education among the Peer Support Workforce. The events begin with training on a relevant topic determined by the workforce community and then transition to opportunities for networking, helping individuals connect and learn from other's successes and challenges to promote self-care and reduce burnout. As an added benefit, participation in QPNEs can be used as Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for the Colorado Peer and Family Specialist (COPA) credential, further supporting professional development. Since launching in 2018, CMWN has served over 735 Peer Support Workforce Members through QPNEs. PSP Support Groups: PSP Support Groups are quarterly facilitated, virtual learning sessions that provide a space for meaningful discussion and professional development. These groups are more than casual meet-ups; they serve as a critical platform for PSPs to explore and address the challenges inherent in their roles. Participants engage in conversations about key topics such as navigating the balance of equally shared power in peer support relationships, confronting and managing issues related to role drift, and effectively implementing "strengths-focused" approaches in their work. By sharing their experiences, PSPs can support each other in overcoming common obstacles, reinforcing the ethical standards of peer support, and enhancing the quality of care they provide. In 2024-the first year of this initiative-we served 69 individuals. Colorado Association of Peer Support Professionals: We launched the Colorado Association of Peer Support Professionals (the Association) in May 2024 as part of our ongoing leadership in the peer support movement, which we have been advancing and at the forefront of since 2011. Over the past two years, we facilitated listening sessions to hear directly from Colorado's Peer Support Workforce about their needs and priorities. This critical input guided the development and launch of the Association. Now established as the hub for Colorado's Peer Support Wor

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87.1%; rating input score 87
• Program expense ratio: 83.7%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.62 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 81.8%; rating input score 82; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4.1%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.84; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: Limited

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 13% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 20.1% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings