A new fund aimed at helping Douglas County residents afford mental health care is holding its ribbon cutting next month. The Pathway to Hope Fund, under the Douglas County Community Foundation (DCCF), is a community-funded, committee-run scholarship program that grants individual mental health scholarships to county residents who've had trouble paying for care.
As the fund describes its own mission: "Jumping the hurdles of affordability in mental healthcare, empowering those in need, and breaking the barriers of stigma via community involvement."
Who it's for
Per DCCF, scholarships go to Douglas County residents who have struggled to afford mental health care and have expressed a desire and need for it. The fund says it works through partnerships with a 501(c)(3), community mental healthcare providers, and referring community volunteers. Its public materials don't list a standalone application form; residents asking how to apply or refer someone should start with DCCF directly (contact below).
First applications and scholarship disbursements begin Jan. 1, 2027, according to the fund.
Why the fund exists
The fund's program materials, co-branded with the Douglas County Mental Health Collaborative, cite year-over-year suicide figures from the Douglas County Coroner's Office for county residents ages 0 to 34: 15 deaths in 2023, 16 in 2024, and 17 in 2025. The same materials note less than half of adults, and only about half of youth, with a mental or behavioral health condition receive treatment in a given year.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, anytime.
Who's behind it
DCCF lists Douglas County, CORE, the City of Castle Pines, the Town of Castle Rock, and Sterling Ranch as partners on the fund's page. The fund sits alongside DCCF's other named funds, including the CERF and the Klobetanz Fund.
Ribbon cutting details
- Date and time: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, noon to 1 p.m. (ribbon cutting and remarks at 12:15 p.m.)
- Location: 734 Wilcox St., Suite 102, Castle Rock
- Host: Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce; registration required through the Chamber's event listing
- Extras: Free coffee for attendees, plus a raffle for a Keurig coffee maker and a handheld milk frother
- Chamber contact: Ashley Garcia, [email protected], (303) 688-4597
For more on the fund itself, including how to donate, see dccf.org/pathway-to-hope-fund.html or call DCCF at 720-733-2656.
For another Castle Rock nonprofit expanding its reach this fall, see Aging Resources of Douglas County's move to a larger Wilcox Street office. For other free county health services, see our coverage of the Douglas County Health Department's new Baby Café.
Sources: Douglas County Community Foundation, Pathway to Hope Fund page and its linked program PDF, fetched Oct. 16, 2026. Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, "Ribbon Cutting for Pathway to Hope Fund - Douglas County Community Foundation" event listing, fetched Oct. 16, 2026.