Food and beverage workers in Colorado can now access free mental health counseling through a new partnership between the University of Denver and the Southern Smoke Foundation [1].
This initiative addresses a critical gap in healthcare accessibility for service industry employees, who often face irregular schedules and lack comprehensive employer-provided insurance.
The program provides workers with up to 20 free counseling sessions [2]. To ensure accessibility, the service is delivered through telehealth, in-person visits, or a combination of both methods [1].
Counseling is provided by graduate-student clinicians. These students work under the supervision of licensed professionals to ensure the quality and safety of the care provided to participants [1].
The collaboration aims to remove traditional barriers to mental health care. By utilizing a flexible delivery model, the program seeks to reach workers in environments where they feel most comfortable.
"We want to be able to meet food and beverage workers where they're able to see us," Noelle Lefforge said [1].
The partnership leverages the academic resources of the University of Denver and the industry connections of the Southern Smoke Foundation to create a sustainable support system for the state's hospitality workforce [1].
“up to 20 free counseling sessions”
This program represents a targeted intervention for the hospitality sector, which is historically underserved in terms of mental health resources. By using graduate students under supervision, the partnership creates a dual-benefit model that provides essential clinical hours for students while offering no-cost professional support to a high-stress workforce.
