Wellness Winnie

Wellness Winnie is Denver’s mobile unit offering support, assistance, and resources to those in need, where they are.

Each week, Wellness Winnie, a “fun size” RV, has a scheduled travel route through Denver for the purpose of providing behavioral health and support services. 

Wellness Winnie exists to empower all people in Denver to live their healthiest life and to increase equitable access to resources, helping the community to thrive.

Wellness Winnie is staffed with mental health counselors and peer navigators. Through shared experiences, peer navigators are skilled to support recovery and mental well-being.

The Wellness Winnie menu of services includes:

  • Peer Support and Navigation
  • Informal classes and presentations
  • Needle (used syringe or needle) disposal
  • Active referral to services, such as: medical, legal, social services
  • Distribution of items, such as: socks, gloves, toiletries, etc.
  • Rehydration and cooling from the heat
  • Warming from the cold 
  • Narcan/Naloxone distribution

Please not that COVID-19 testing will not be provided at these sites. For information on COVID-19 testing please visit our Testing Information page.

In the fall of 2023, the Wellness Winnie program will expand to include 2 additional "Mini Winnies" to the fleet. The new Mini Winnies will allow for more mental and behavioral health services at additional locations and community events. 

 

Schedule

Where is Wellness Winnie Today?

Wellness Winnie staff members will be working in collaboration with Denver Public Library and other partners to resume mobile behavioral health services. 
You can find the team at the following locations:

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Pop-Up: Champa Street
2200 Block Champa St.  

Wednesday, October 11

9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

 

Denver Public Library- Ross Broadway Location

33 E. Bayaud Ave, Denver CO 80209

Every First and Third Thursday of the month

12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

 

Hadley Library

1890 S. Grove St. 

Every Second and Fourth Thursday of each month

Noon - 3 p.m. 

 

Heart and Hand Center

2758 Welton St. 

First Wednesday of each month

2 p.m. - 5 p.m.  

 

Street Fraternity

8720 E. Colfax Ave. (back parking lot)

Select Thursdays of each month

9-11 a.m. 

Every Tuesday of of each month

3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.

 

Struggle of Love

12000 E 47th Ave.

Tuesday, October 3

11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Schedule Interruptions

To inquire about schedule interruptions or cancelations directly with a Wellness Winnie staff member, please call or text 720-908-5401.


Please note that schedule interruptions or cancellation may occur when the City and County of Denver is observing a holiday or due to inclement weather. The City and County of Denver holiday schedule is below:

2023 Holidays

  • New Year's Day
    Monday, January 1 
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
    Monday, January 15
  • Presidents' Day
    Monday, February 19
  • César Chávez Day
    Monday, April 1(observed)
  • Memorial Day
    Monday, May 27
  • Juneteenth
    Wednesday, June 19
  • Independence Day
    Thursday, July 4
  • Labor Day
    Monday, September 2
  • Veterans Day
    Monday, November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day
    Thursday, November 28
  • Christmas Day
    Thursday, December 25

Contact

To speak to a Wellness Winnie staff member regarding behavioral health needs (i.e. mental health and/or substance misuse) please call 720-908-5401.

COVID 19 testing will not be provided at these sites. For information on COVID-19 testing please visit our Testing Information page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mission of Wellness Winnie?

Wellness Winnie exists to increase equitable access to resources, by way of a mobile service unit, helping the Denver community to thrive.

What are the goals of Wellness Winnie?

The goals of Wellness Winnie are to provide effective, accessible and acceptable co-located behavioral health and support services in a safe, non-judgmental space, in neighborhood locations for people.

Why provide mobile services?

Respondents from a needs assessment indicated that while services in Denver were generally good, getting to them was difficult and time-consuming. The co-location of services and bringing the services to people in their neighborhood may reduce barriers to services and fragmentation of service delivery. Mobile services have been shown to be an effective way to reach people who may not otherwise access fixed-site services.

What areas in Denver will Wellness Winnie be serving?

Wellness Winnie will be traveling a scheduled route through the neighborhoods of Denver, with an emphasis on underserved areas. These areas are Montbello, West Denver, and South East Denver.

How were site locations decided?

We started with a map of the county. That map included marked areas with treatment services, resources, the city’s syringe disposal kiosks, syringe disposal complaints (calls received from 311), and general problem areas (noted by parks and recreations).  The areas on the map that had the least amount of treatment services and resources spoke the loudest. Additionally, conversations with service providers and community members in the respective area reinforced the notion that the community needs and desires our presence.

What is Peer Support and Navigation?

Peer support and navigation are non-clinical, relationship-focused services provided by individuals with the personal experience of overcoming the life challenges of trauma, mental health challenges, and substance misuse. Peer supporters and navigators are trained to provide strengths-focused, trauma-informed support with linkage to services and community resources based on their personal knowledge of recovery resources and skills. The types of support and navigation are decided by the person receiving services. The peer support relationship is based on mutuality, shared decision making, and equality. Peer supporters and navigators encourage empowerment, personal responsibility, self-advocacy, and positive action. Through skilled disclosure of their life experiences, they inspire hope and role model resilience.

What to bring to a visit?

There is no need to bring anything with you. However, it is helpful, but not required to bring the following items:

  • Photo ID or another form of identification
  • List of current medications (or even the bottle)
  • Medicaid card, if you have one
  • Any paperwork you received, that you believe may be helpful

How do I request a sign language or spoken language interpreter?

To request a sign language interpreter, please contact SignLanguageServices@denvergov.org or 720.913.8487, with at least a three business days’ notice. 

To request a spoken language interpreter, please call or text 720.908.5401. Be sure to let staff know when to expect you and the language being requested. You may also simply show-up to your preferred site location (listed under “Where is Wellness Winnie?”) and request a specific spoken language interpreter. 

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical and/or personal health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

Please review this notice carefully.


USES AND DISCLOSURES

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment – Substance Misuse Program may use or disclose your protected health information for the following uses:

For Treatment:  We may use personal health information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services.

For Health Care Operations:  We may use and share your health information for operations necessary to make sure our clients receive quality care.  For example, we may share your personal health information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you.

Future Communications:  We may use your health information to contact you with information on health care programs and health care choices as well as provide you with appointment reminders.

Legal Requirements:  We will share personal health information to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of others.

Research:  Under certain circumstances, we may share your health information for research purposes.  All research projects must be approved and have your consent, and the project must keep your information confidential.

Public Health:  We may share your health information with public health agencies to prevent or control the spread of diseases.

Health Oversight Activities:  We may share your health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law.  These activities may include, for example, audits, investigations, and inspections.

Lawsuits and Disputes:  We may share your health information in response to a valid judicial or administrative order.

Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors:  Consistent with applicable law, we may share your health information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director so that they may carry out their duties.
*Other uses or sharing of your health information will be made only with your written authorization.

Your Rights

The following are your rights with respect to your personal health information:

You have the right to ask us to restrict how we use or disclose your information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  All requests must be made in writing and state the specific restriction requested.  We will try to honor your request, but we are not required to agree to a restriction.  Please see the contact information at the end of this notice.

You have the right to ask to receive confidential communications of information.  For example, if you believe you would be harmed if we send information to your current mailing address (for example, in situations involving domestic disputes or violence), you can ask us to send the information by alternative means (for example, by telephone) or to an alternative address.  We will accommodate a reasonable request if the normal method or disclosure could endanger you and your state that in your request.  Any such request must be made in writing.

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the information that we maintain about you in your designated record set.  A “designated record set” is a group of records that may include enrollment, payment, claims adjudication, and case or medical management records.  However, you do not have the right to access certain types of information such as psychotherapy notes and information compiled for legal proceedings.  If we deny your request, we will notify you in writing and may provide you with a right to have the denial reviewed.

You have the right to ask us to amend the information we maintain about you in your designated record set (as defined above).  Your request must be made in writing and you must provide a reason for the request.  If we agree to your request, we will amend our records accordingly.  We will also provide the amendment to any person that we know has received your health information from us and to other persons identified by you.  If we deny your request, we will notify you in writing of the reason for the denial.  Reasons may include that the information was not created by us, is not part of the designated record set, is not information that is available for inspection, or that the information is accurate and complete.

You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures of your personal health information. Under the law, your personal health information may be used and shared for particular reasons, like making sure doctors give good care, making sure nursing homes are clean and safe, reporting when the flu is in your area, or making required reports to the police, such as reporting gunshot wounds.  In many cases, you can ask for and get a list of who your health information has been shared with for these reasons.  Please make requests to the DHS Privacy Officer. You have a right to receive a copy of this notice upon request at any time.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your information was used or shared in a way that is not allowed under the privacy law, or if you were not able to exercise your rights, you can file a complaint by submitting a written request to the DHS Privacy Officer. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Government by contacting the following website: www.hhs.gov/hipaa/

You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment – Substance Misuse Program Responsibilities

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment – Substance Misuse Program is committed to protecting the privacy of health information maintained by our divisions and programs.  In this notice, the terms of your “medical information” or your “health information” mean personal information that identifies you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or behavioral health; the provisions of health care services to you; or the payment of health care services provided to you.  The terms “we”, “us”, and “our” in this notice refer to the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment – Substance Misuse Program

This notice explains how we use your health information and when we can share that information with others.  It also informs you of your rights with respect to your health information and how you can exercise those rights.  We are required to follow the terms of this notice until the notice is replaced.  We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice effective for all protected health information we maintain.  Once revised, we will provide you with a copy of the new notice.

If you have questions about this notice, please contact:

Jean Finn
Denver Department of Public Health & Environment – Substance Misuse Program
101 W. Colfax Suite 700
Denver, CO 80202
720-865-5503

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment – Substance Misuse Program complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

Download a printable version of the Notice of Privacy Practices above. (PDF)