Frequently Asked Questions
What does Yarrow Collective mean when using the word “peer”?
By peers, we mean people who have lived experience with psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, extreme states, houselessness, oppression, problems with substances and other life-interrupting challenges.
What does Yarrow Collective mean when using phrases like “lived experience” and “life-interrupting challenges”?
At Yarrow Collective, we encourage people to be all-inclusive of many perspectives recognizing that we are all the experts of our own experiences. Some of us identify with mental health diagnosis labels, while others may have experience "diagnostic criteria" but either reject diagnostic labels, don't have access to get labeled, or don't have interest in pursuing those labels. We feel that using phrases like “lived experience” and “life-interrupting challenges” is a broader way to refer to some of our lived experiences surrounding mental health challenge while still focusing on our similarities in experience.
How is Yarrow Collective funded?
Currently, Yarrow Collective is generously funded through the Larimer County Behavioral Health Impact Fund, the Colorado Health Foundation, a Larimer County Immediate Needs Grant, the Larimer County Health Department, the Guber Family Giving Fund, and other foundations and through donations. Yarrow Collective started as a collaborative project with the School of Social Work at Colorado State University (CSU) who supported us through our initial development. Currently, Yarrow is fiscally sponsored by the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC). Importantly, Yarrow Collective is not run or operated by any government or academic entity. Yarrow Collective is made up of community members with lived experience who are working toward increased alternatives to traditional mental health and substance use treatments and have a desire to create spaces in the community for peer-to-peer connection.
Is Yarrow Collective affiliated with other organizations?
Yarrow Collective is an independent organization. We can and do collaborate with other local organizations and programs who share our vision of bringing peer support resources to Northern Colorado. Though those collaborators may sometimes include clinicians or larger mental health systems, we are committed to the integrity and independence of peer-based approaches.
This is vital as it allows us the opportunity to share trust with each other, and share resources with each other while staying true to peer support values and goals.
How can I join Yarrow Collective?
If you have lived experience, join us at one of our support groups! Or check out our calendar to see our upcoming community events. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on socials to get updates on when we are hiring or seeking more people to join at an organization level.