1046 results for author: Mental Health Colorado

COLORADO LAWMAKERS PONDER BILL TO TAKE AWAY GUNS FROM PEOPLE WHO POSE THREATS

By: Joe St. George April 19, 2018 DENVER -- Colorado lawmakers are debating behind the scenes whether to introduce and pass into law a "Red Flag" gun warning bill just days before the session wraps up. The proposal, similar to what other states have passed, would allow law enforcement and family members the option of going before a judge to temporarily remove guns from individuals who pose threats. "People who are in the midst of a psychotic episode, it's a bad combination to have guns available," Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said. McCann, along with other prosecutors and law enforcement officials, are working on getting ...

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HELPING PEOPLE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

April 20, 2018 Story originally appeared on Denver7.

DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF: ‘RED FLAG BILL’ COULD HAVE SAVED DEPUTY PARRISH’S LIFE

Bill would allow law enforcement to seize weapons By: Jaclyn Allen                 April 23, 2018 DENVER -- Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock calls himself "a Second Amendment Guy." "I think everyone should have guns. If you want them you can have them," said Spurlock. "Except for two groups of people. If you're a criminal out committing crimes, I don't think you should have guns. But also if you're in a mental health crisis, we should be able to both protect you from yourself and the community." That exception hits close to home for the Sheriff, who lost one of his own, Deputy ...

BILL WOULD PROVIDE TREATMENT AND HOUSING TO PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS

By: Noel Brennan, 9News Under the bill, the Office of Behavioral Health would be tasked to come up with a plan for expanding access to transitional services for individuals experiencing a mental health emergency. KUSA – Judith Wilson holds onto the memories of her son before the cycle began. “This is one of my favorites,” Wilson said, flipping through photos of her son, Forrest. “He was born with a full head of auburn hair.” Forrest is now 23. “From [the age of] five until now, he’s been dealing with the bipolar and trying to find the right medicines,” Wilson said. “He’ll become ...

THE LAGGING STATE OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE

By: Jamie Siebrase Annette and Paul’s daughter ran a thriving business and owned real estate in their hometown of Pueblo. Then she turned 33, and things changed dramatically. “She talked about being a spirit medium,” Annette says. Paranoia began. Mysterious entities stole clothes, moved belongings and spoke to Annette’s daughter through earbuds. “We knew something was wrong, but we felt like deer in the headlights,” Paul says. He couldn’t reason with his daughter, and since she was an adult, he couldn’t force her to get help. The couple, who asked that their middle names be used to protect their family’s privacy, ...

BILL AIMS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH HELP, ACCOUNTABILITY

By: J. Adrian Stanley, The Colorado Independent Those seeking mental health care in Colorado should have a lot working in their favor. Laws require insurance carriers to provide an adequate number of providers and supply equal coverage for mental and physical health care. And in Colorado, state rules dictate that a person seeking non-emergency mental health care is required to be provided care within seven days. Yet, a December 2017 report from Milliman Research found that Coloradans go out of network for mental health care around seven times as often as they do for physical care, and that mental health providers are reimbursed at rates about 40 ...

Help us all

April 18, 2018 Jill Conner’s two daughters struggled with drug addiction. Both also had insurance coverage, but that’s where the similarities end. Jill’s older daughter couldn’t find a treatment facility that would accept her insurance. Three days before her 27th birthday, she overdosed on fentanyl and died in her parents’ home. Her younger sister found care—at a facility in Utah. She is now two years in recovery. Jill shared her children’s stories, and her support for House Bill 18-1357, with the state legislature yesterday. The bill would strengthen the enforcement of mental health parity and network adequacy laws; it ...

Countdown

April 11, 2018 Four weeks. That’s all the time we have left before this year’s legislative session ends. But it’s enough time to pass a “red flag” law. These laws create extreme risk protection orders, allowing guns to be temporarily removed from the homes of people who pose a significant danger to themselves or others. Six states have now enacted such laws; Colorado has not. We’re urging lawmakers to introduce and pass this measure before time runs out. Please ask your state representative and your state senator to sign on today. Extreme risk protection orders require compelling evidence and respect due process rights. ...

PENDING LEGISLATION WOULD ENSURE CHILDREN CAN ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

By: Jena Hausmann, Andrew Romanoff What would you do if you had to give up your child in order to access mental health services? For some Coloradans, this is a reality. Colorado ranked 48th in the country for overall youth mental health, according to Mental Health America’s 2018 “The State of Mental Health in America” report. This same report estimates that more than 13 percent of Colorado teens ages 12-17 have had at least one major depressive episode in the last year. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Coloradans aged 10-24, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. These statistics are stagger...