Newfound attention has landed on Mind Springs Health after an investigative series from the Colorado News Collaborative unearthed concerns about how community mental health centers might be failing some of our most vulnerable residents. On another level, the reporting has also cast doubt on the threads of accountability tied to how the private nonprofit spends public money.

Mind Springs Health is responsible for providing a mental health safety net in Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mesa, Moffat, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Summit and Routt counties. Mind Springs exists as one of a handful of community mental health centers covering different regions across the state by offering inpatient and outpatient mental health services to those on Medicaid or without insurance.

While the Colorado News Collaborative found many mental health treatment centers are failing some of the most vulnerable Coloradans, the news group highlighted Mind Springs as standing out “for intense community disappointment about access to and the quality of its care,” especially in Summit County, where community leaders are most critical.

It’s important to say that, while Eagle County is breaking ties with Mind Springs in favor of setting up its own mental health care safety net — and Summit County is working to join Eagle in it — other communities in the Mind Springs coverage area are much more content with the services received. Commissioners in Grand County have been complimentary of Mind Springs’ work.

Recent reporting from Steamboat Pilot & Today Reporter Suzie Romig on Mind Springs’ work in Routt County showed there have been many positive outcomes here. Furthermore, it was nice to read that local response times are far less than the average.