“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Our goal is to support young people in developing and maintaining overall health and well-being.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10-34 (NIMH). Colorado ranks 6th in the United States for suicide deaths (suicidepreventioncolorado.org). Half of all mental health disorders begin by the age of 14 and three fourths are diagnosable in the mid twenties (The National Council for Behavioral Health). In the U.S., families routinely ensure their child’s physical well-being through pediatric and dental visits. However, the mental health and well-being of our children often goes unaddressed or unnoticed until a crisis or trauma arises. At The Makarios Project we believe that mental health care should be viewed and utilized as preventative care rather than exclusively prescriptive.

The Makarios Project focuses on four goals.

• We support young people in developing skills that will support their ability to preserve and maintain their mental health and well-being.

• We educate adults in recognizing and supporting young people who may be experiencing a mental health challenge.

• We aim to increase early intervention and prevention among youth.

• We aim to normalize mental health and bridge the gap from identifying a need to accessing mental health resources within the state of Colorado.