Yampah Mountain High School and Colorado River BOCES staff struck gold at Tuesday’s Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting. They asked for $25,000 from the national opioid settlement funds for an on-site intervention counselor. These funds are a result of 2021/2022 national opioid settlements resolving opioids litigation brought by state and local governments against manufacturers, distributors and marketers. Garfield County receives some of that money.
Nicolette DiPietro, director of special programs, data and grants for Colorado River BOCES, explained that the position has been funded by multiple grants, including a state department of education grant that is sunsetting this year. City of Glenwood Springs funding through a partnership with the Roaring Fork School District has also dried up for next year, she said, adding that the Hope Center gave them some options.
“One of them was to come here and learn a little bit more about the opioid funding from the settlement that the County did receive,” she said. “And that this might be a good fit for our intervention counselor at Yampah.”
Indeed it is a good fit, as demonstrated by the BOCC’s unanimous approval of $25,000. DiPietro said that her team has also applied for other grants.
The intervention counselor, said Dr. Zoe Stern, Yampah interim principal, plays a key role at the school. “We are able to support our students before an M1 hold is needed,” she explained. “We are able to identify these depression stints or lack of engagement or withdrawal, things like that.”
The intervention counselor helps treat behavioral and mental health issues before they become problems. “We all know that Yampah Mountain High School serves students that didn’t always get that before,” explained Stern. “So that position really leads our school and creates this safe haven for students and staff.”
The BOCC was impressed that this role is intervention as opposed to prevention. “If we can save one life,” said Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky. “It’s worth it.”
Colorado Animal Rescue (or CARE) was also a recipient of County funds. Along with Journey Home in Rifle, the County gives $200,000 annually to CARE, near Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley Campus. Director Wes Boyd expressed gratitude for the County’s continuous support, stating that CARE is celebrating 26 years.
Boyd said that CARE supports up to 40 dogs, 50 cats and other creatures, returns stray pets to owners, spays/neuters feral cats and, this year, offers an on-site disaster and emergency trailer. “This is a partnership with Colorado Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps,” he explained. “We have about 50 total collapsible dog crates in that trailer along with immediate supplies, like water and food, blankets, things that we can just grab and go.”
As a nod to an earlier Mountain Valley Developmental Services (MVDS) update by Maura Masters, Boyd mentioned that a MVDS client works at CARE part-time. “He is our go-to cheerleader and staff support,” said Boyd.
CARE’s year-end statistics showed 209 stray pets accepted and between 240 and 290 owner relinquishments. “These are pets that owners can no longer keep,” he explained. CARE transferred 114 pets from different organizations across the West Slope and witnessed a few litters born at the shelter. “One litter of puppies [was born] in our front office,” he said. “A dog was dropped off just moments before she started labor.”
Most of the relinquished pets came from Glenwood Springs in 2025. Carbondale was second on the list. More than 600 animals were adopted. Ten were euthanized, half for behavioral problems. “These are animals that we deemed not safe enough to put out into the community,” he explained. “It is a terribly hard decision to make but we know that sometimes it’s not worth the risk.”
Boyd explained a new, grant-funded training program that helps keep dogs with their owners. “This [serves] a combination of dogs that have been adopted from CARE that need support staying in their home, and dogs that are at risk of being surrendered to the shelter,” he said. The grant provides for up to three free sessions per animal.
CARE provides spay and neuter vouchers. The pet food bank gave out 11,000 pounds of food in 2025 through Meals on Wheels, Lift-Up and Food Bank of the Rockies.
Commissioner Perry Will asked Boyd the same questions he posed to Journey Home staff last week about returning work animals to ranchers at no charge. Boyd said that CARE sees a lot of work dogs from Missouri Heights. “Our boarding fee is only $30 a day,” he told the BOCC. “If an animal gets picked up the same day, we don’t charge for that.” He added that CARE tries to keep that cost reasonable.
In other news, the BOCC heard updates from human services, including $1,140,949 in EBT/EFT disbursements for January. Josh Williams of the County’s public health department talked about the importance of mosquito control. An afternoon public hearing about an Xcel Energy laydown yard was cancelled.