Colorado Springs Clinic Focuses on Veteran Mental Health Care

Summit Vista Behavioral Health, a Colorado Springs clinic, has expanded specialized mental health services for military veterans, addressing care gaps in a region with one of the state's largest concentrations of both active military installations and veteran residents.

Clinical director Dr. Marcus Whitfield says the expanded program specifically trains clinical staff in evidence-based treatment approaches for combat-related post-traumatic stress and other conditions common among the veteran population, an area of specialization Whitfield says requires training beyond general mental health clinical practice. "Treating veteran-specific trauma well requires specific training and experience," Whitfield said. "We wanted staff who genuinely understood the military context, not just general trauma treatment principles applied without that context."

Building Trust Within the Veteran Community

Whitfield says building trust within the veteran community has been as important as the clinical program design itself, since many veterans report hesitancy about seeking mental health care due to concerns about stigma or skepticism that civilian providers can adequately understand military-specific experiences. The clinic has hired several clinical staff who are themselves veterans, a deliberate choice Whitfield says has helped build credibility and trust with veteran patients from their very first appointment.

The clinic has also worked to streamline its intake process specifically for veteran patients, reducing administrative barriers that some veterans cited as a deterrent to seeking care through the region's existing mental health care options.

Addressing a Regional Care Gap

Colorado Springs' large veteran population, tied to the area's significant active military presence, has created regional demand for veteran-specific mental health services that existing providers, including the local VA medical system, haven't been able to fully meet given overall demand levels. Summit Vista officials say the clinic's expanded program is meant to complement rather than replace VA mental health services, providing additional capacity for veterans who may be facing wait times for VA appointments or who prefer a community-based care option.

The clinic says it's evaluating further expansion of veteran-focused services based on continued demand, including potential expansion into specialized programming for veteran family members who are often also affected by a veteran's mental health condition.