Denver residents seek out free mental health services and how to access them

Denver Health opened 120 new intake slots this month at its behavioral health clinic on Bannock Street for adults facing stress and anxiety without insurance.

Summer heat and longer daylight hours have pushed more residents to seek help, with local crisis lines logging 18 percent more calls in June than the same month last year. City data show that one in six Denver adults reported symptoms of depression or anxiety in the most recent health survey, a figure that has held steady since 2024 despite expanded outreach.

Named sites and programs

The Mental Health Center of Denver runs a walk-in clinic at 4141 East Dickenson Place in the Baker neighborhood that accepts self-referrals every weekday morning. Staff there provide short-term counseling and connect callers to longer-term groups focused on work stress and sleep problems. Across town, the Denver Public Library system offers free 30-minute sessions with licensed therapists at its Central Library branch on Broadway and at the branch on 23rd Avenue in Five Points; appointments can be booked by phone or through the library website and require only a library card.

Numbers and next steps

State records show the Colorado Crisis Services line answered 42,000 calls from the Denver metro area in the first six months of 2026, up from 36,500 in the same period of 2025. The service stays open around the clock at 1-844-493-8255 and can dispatch mobile teams to meet people at home or in public parks if needed. Residents without phones can visit the same Bannock Street location or any library branch to start the process in person. Those steps connect people to immediate support and to ongoing groups that meet in community centers on Colfax Avenue and in the RiNo district.

Callers who reach the crisis line first receive a brief screening and a same-day or next-day slot at one of the listed sites. Library sessions fill quickly, so residents are advised to check availability early in the week and bring any existing medication lists. The programs remain free for Denver residents regardless of income or immigration status.