What’s Happening in Colorado
* The 2024 Legislation Session has started, and one of Mental Health Colorado’s Agenda Bills has been introduced! HB25-1066: Prevent Workplace Violence in Health-Care Settings — which we are co-leading with the Colorado Nurses Association — is sponsored by Representatives Hamrick and Garcia and Senators Michaelson Jenet and Gonzales.
This bill aims to prevent violence from occurring in the first place toward health care workers. It requires facilities to establish workplace violence prevention committees, provide training on the plan, and submit data on incidents to the Department of Public Health and Environment or Behavioral Health Administration, and offer post-incident services to affected staff.
Get involved by reaching out to BAnshus@mentalhealthcolorado.org.
* Governor Jared Polis delivered his State of the State address at the Capitol.
In his remarks, the Governor shared his policy priorities on housing affordability, transportation, and public safety. He also urged productivity and civil collaboration.
* The Behavioral Health Administration released its Children and Youth Behavioral Health Implementation Plan for developing a comprehensive statewide system.
The plan lays out a pathway to establishing a comprehensive, equitable, effective continuum of behavioral health services that meets the needs of children and youth in the right place, at the right time, to achieve whole-person health and well-being.
* The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative released its “State of Homelessness 2023,” a comprehensive look into homelessness in the region.
According to the report, deteriorating relationships with families and partners was a leading cause of homelessness in the area alongside an ability to pay rent as a second-most common factor.
A View from Washington, D.C.
* Top lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee announced a deal for a temporary expansion of the child tax credit.
The committees have been discussing a package for months and hope to move on it before the 2023 tax filing season begins. The legislation – the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024— would expand the child tax credit for three years.
Read more about the bill here.
* The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration developed an updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit.
It provides guidance on preventing and responding to an overdose. The toolkit also emphasizes that harm reduction and access to treatment are essential aspects of overdose prevention.
* The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new model to test approaches for addressing the behavioral and physical health, as well as health-related social needs, of people enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare.
The Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model’s goal is to improve the overall quality of care and outcomes for adults with mental health and/or substance use conditions by connecting them with the physical, behavioral, and social supports needed to manage their care.
Read more about the model here.
