Mental Health Colorado to Host Candidate Forums
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 24, 2020
Media Contact:
Aubree Hughes
405-615-3845
Mental Health Colorado to Host Candidate Forums
Three forums will feature state house, state senate, district attorney, and board of education candidates
DENVER – As a nonpartisan organization, Mental Health Colorado doesn’t endorse candidates, but the nonprofit advocacy group is educating candidates and constituents from all parties about the urgency of supporting healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans. Mental Health Colorado will host a series of candidate forums ahead of election day with one goal: ensuring all Colorado voters are confident that anyone they are voting for will lead us in the right direction on mental health.
“We want voters to know how the candidates on their ballots plan to support the mental health of the population they seek to represent,” said Mental Health Colorado President & CEO Vincent Atchity. “State senators and representatives should be expected to continue the state’s recent years of positive mental health policy. Members of the state board of education must be committed to advancing the role of education in providing a strong start for all children by ensuring that all staff know how to recognize health needs and provide essential supports. And district attorneys can be powerful leaders in ensuring that there is real justice for people with unmet health needs, that they get care, not cuffs—so that jails and prisons don’t remain our de facto mental health system.”
During each forum, Mental Health Colorado will ask candidates questions about what’s at stake for mental health in this election, why voting down the ballot matters for mental health, and what supporting improved mental health across the lifespan looks like from the perspective of the office they seek.
The dates for the forums are as follows:
- State House – Thurs., Oct. 1 at 12:00 p.m.
- State Senate – Tues., Sept. 29 at 12:00 p.m.
- District Attorney and Board of Education – Tues., Oct. 13 at 12:00 p.m.
Registration is live, and the forums are free to attend. and Mental Health Colorado has a platform on their website where candidates can submit a statement regarding their respective mental health priorities. Candidates also have the option to consult with Mental Health Colorado staff about policy priorities for mental health. The platforms, consultations, and forums are a part of Mental Health Colorado’s goal to make sure mental health is on every ballot.
About Mental Health Colorado:
Mental Health Colorado is the state’s leading advocate in promoting mental wellness, ending shame and discrimination, and ensuring equitable access to mental health and substance use care. Mental Health Colorado is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and an affiliate of Mental Health America.
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