About CATCH Youth

Center for Arts Therapies & Creative Healing Youth

C.A.T.C.H. YOUTH is a groundbreaking initiative rooted in the belief that the power of art can transform how we care for young people’s mental health. In a time when teens face unprecedented challenges—from social pressures and trauma to anxiety and suicidal ideation—our program provides a new model for early, accessible support through creative expression. Backed by a $150,000 planning grant from the Colorado Health Foundation, C.A.T.C.H. YOUTH is designed to offer preventive, upstream care that fosters emotional literacy, resilience, and communication skills by embedding therapy in the arts.

Led by educator and youth advocate Roxy Pignanelli and her experienced team at Pignanelli Partners, our project builds on decades of work in arts education, social services, and community activism. Pignanelli’s earlier initiative, the acclaimed teen suicide prevention drama No One Hears Unless You Scream, demonstrated how storytelling and creativity can provide safe pathways into difficult conversations. Now, that same ethos informs the structure of C.A.T.C.H. YOUTH, where teens and families will engage in a welcoming, stigma-free environment designed to heal, educate, and empower.

Our program integrates drama, visual arts, music, movement, and storytelling into a full spectrum of mental health supports—from peer-to-peer mentoring and family sessions to support for transitioning youth and those experiencing homelessness. Partnering with local schools, community organizations, and health services, C.A.T.C.H. YOUTH will serve as both a healing space and a training ground for future mental health professionals. By embracing a “start with art” approach, we shift the paradigm from reactive treatment to meaningful prevention—long before a crisis begins.

C.A.T.C.H. YOUTH is more than a program—it’s a movement to reimagine how Pueblo supports its youth. We believe that when creativity is combined with care, we unlock the full potential of our young people. Through ongoing collaboration, community engagement, and research, we’re laying the foundation for a healthier, more resilient future—one painting, one performance, and one story at a time.