WELLPOWER, JEFFERSON CENTER

Metro Denver area

News: Two nationally recognized community mental health centers, WellPower and the Jefferson Center, are preparing to merge on July 1, thus creating the “largest and most innovative behavioral health provider” in Colorado.

The new entity will carry the WellPower name and will offer an “unparalleled array of services” that positions the combined entity “To meet the needs of the people we serve, our communities and staff for decades to come.”

Dr. Carl Clark will serve as the chief executive officer and Dr. Kiara Kuenzler will take on the role of president until Clark retires in early 2025. At that time, Kuenzler will assume the combined role of president and CEO.

Clark joined WellPower in 1989, became medical director in 1991 and was promoted to CEO in 2000. He became president and CEO in 2014. Kuenzler, who earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver and has done post-graduate work at the University of Colorado, became president and CEO of the Jefferson Center in 2018.

In a statement issued by Clark and Kuenzler, the leaders said, “The strengths of our two organizations combined will enable us to meet the needs of our communities in a way that has never been seen before in Colorado. Jefferson Center and WellPower both have deep expertise in the realm of behavioral health and have reputations as local and national leaders in the field. Both organizations are financially strong, with adequate reserves, operating revenue and assets to build a strong foundation for our combined organization.”

The statement went on to say that the demand for behavioral health services is greater than ever: “One in four Coloradans report that their mental health is poor, suicide is the No. 1 cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24 and the opioid and fentanyl epidemics remain wildly unchecked. The toll of unmet need in Colorado has resulted in dire and heartbreaking consequences for individuals and families.”

About the organizations: WellPower, the former Mental Health Center of Denver, provides mental health services to some 22,000 people annually. The Jefferson Center had 26,000 clients in 2022.

Websites: wellpower.org, jcmh.org

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