In the two years since its inception, Next Chapter has helped more than 1,000 people access support and resources — saving lives of Veterans and their families.
1,000 is more than a statistic.
The 1,000 is comprised of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters, and sons; all who have started their Next Chapter with new opportunities, skills, and a new lease on life. Our Veterans and their families are Next Chapter.
Formed in 2022, Next Chapter’s goal is to respond upstream of challenges or crises to address underlying causes of Veteran behavioral health and to respond with solutions and support. The mission set by the state legislature: serve at least 750 clients in three years.
The state created Next Chapter to address El Paso County and Colorado’s Veteran suicide rate, the highest in the nation. Initial estimates prior to the program’s inception, were that 22 Veterans took their own lives every day — and Next Chapter’s goal is to prevent Veterans from ever reaching that point. After the first 18 months of the program, the Coroner’s Report showed that the Veteran suicide rate in El Paso County not only stopped increasing, but dropped by 5%.
The Next Chapter, a wellness program, is more than just therapy and counseling. The goal is to find out the challenges – financial, relationships, post-traumatic stress disorder, ongoing pain issues from deployments, trouble accessing military benefits and resources – and address them, while also providing other sources for wellness. Next Chapter also provides options like art therapy, talk therapy, or outdoor hobbies as ways to improve wellness.
Next Chapter’s youngest client is 6 years old. It’s oldest is in their 90s. The reason: Helping an entire family relieves stress on service members and Veterans. If a teenager is anxious or depressed, it can affect the family and the Veteran. For all those reasons, Next Chapter is here.
Through Next Chapter, Veterans and their family members can find assistance, and avoid crisis that leads to suicidal thoughts.
Reach out today – regardless of time in service, type of discharge or era served — and create your Next Chapter. It’s going to be the best one yet!