Published on behalf of Ava Health (www.HelloAvaHealth.com)

Grand Junction, CO (January 14, 2026) —

Ava Health, an innovative behavioral healthcare provider dedicated to delivering accessible, outcome-driven treatment, has selected Grand Junction, Colorado, as its headquarters with an open date planned for February 9, 2026. Working to fill a significant gap for the region, the company will open its doors with a bold mission: to transform behavioral healthcare by providing private-pay quality care that is accessible to all.  

“We founded Ava Health to prove that high-quality behavioral healthcare doesn’t have to be reserved for the top 1%. Our mission is simple: make care adaptable, accountable, and accessible to every community, starting right here on the Western Slope,” stated Christopher Bennett, CEO of Ava Health. 

“We chose Grand Junction as our headquarters because it sits at the intersection of need and possibility. This community has been underserved for far too long, and we’re committed to building a model here that not only serves our neighbors but sets a new national standard for what’s possible when care is delivered with dignity, transparency, and purpose.”  

Ava Health will offer a full continuum of care for mental health and substance use disorders, including sub-acute stabilization, medical detox, residential treatment, a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, transitional housing, outpatient detox, and outpatient services, accepting Medicaid, commercial in-network and out-of-network insurance policies, and private pay. All levels of care are licensed by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and will be nationally accredited by the gold standard of healthcare regulatory agencies, The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).  

The company’s headquarters will be located at the former Rocky Mountain Health Plans building, located at: 2784 Crossroads Blvd, Grand Junction, CO 81506, and Ava Health will be working in partnership with key community stakeholders including Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital and Community Hospital, the Department of Public Health, the 21st Judicial District, Bridges of Colorado, Mesa County Sheriff’s Department, and many others to provide a truly integrated and community designed and implemented suite of services to Mesa County.  

The company’s expansion is anticipated to generate a significant impact in Mesa County, both economically and from a community health needs perspective. Mesa County is facing one of the most significant gaps in behavioral healthcare access in the state. 

“In the past twelve months alone, 580 individuals in crisis were transported from Mesa County to psychiatric care - 464 of them all the way to the Front Range because the Western Slope simply lacks the capacity to serve them. Right now, there are only 14 acute psychiatric beds between Denver and Salt Lake City, all located at Vail Health.

This leaves families, law enforcement, and emergency rooms carrying a burden they were never designed to hold. Too often, people experiencing a behavioral health crisis end up in jail cells or ER hallways instead of in treatment,” shared Bennett. 

“At Ava Health, we see this as unacceptable. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to partner with providers and community leaders to expand local access, build the continuum of care that doesn’t exist today, and begin addressing these systemic gaps head-on.” 

Ava Health has hired 40 employees with professional positions averaging well above the median annual wage for Mesa County. The company is anticipated to hire an additional 25 new team members within the next two months, collaborating closely with Colorado Mesa University to recruit local talent and establish strong workforce pathways. 

Additionally, through the Colorado Enterprise Zone Tax Credit Program, Ava Health is eligible for significant tax credits, allowing it to reinvest those resources directly back into its staff, services, and the community. This support has been instrumental in making it possible to bring a full continuum of behavioral healthcare to the Western Slope, ensuring long-term sustainability and community impact. 

“From day one, the local support we’ve received in Grand Junction has been nothing short of extraordinary. For nearly two years, we have embedded ourselves into Grand Junction and Mesa County, with community leaders, partners, and stakeholders who have leaned all the way in with us, helping remove barriers and create opportunities so that Ava Health could take root here. That kind of belief and collaboration doesn’t just help us launch, it ensures we can grow in a way that truly serves this community for decades to come,” says Bennett.  

For more information on Ava Health, its mission, and employment opportunities, please visit www.HelloAvaHealth.com   

# # #