Brianna Titone

What counties do you represent? If this is a statewide office, please put statewide.

Jefferson County

Have you or someone you loved ever experienced a mental health and/or substance use condition?

Yes

Question #1: Colorado, like the rest of the nation, is facing a youth mental health crisis. Do you support school policies and funding that increase the availability of mental health services and supports in schools and early childhood settings?

Yes

Would you like to explain your response to question #1?

It is so critical to support our youth when it comes to mental health and removing the stigma associated with it. I will always be an advocate for making sure our youth have the services and support that they need.

Question #2: Do you believe mental health and substance use are serious issues your constituents are experiencing that deserve legislative attention and action? Please explain.

Yes, I believe it is more apparent than ever, in a post COVID society how important these services are. They need funding expansion and continued oversight to ensure that the needs of our community are directly being addressed. I intend to work with my colleagues and other community leaders to find effective solutions to enforce mental health parity laws and more options for inpatient treatment. Essential workers, youth, and everyday people need a leader who will prioritize their mental health needs. I supported the Community gap program, worked to increase the Behavioral Health care workforce, and help expand resources and services in the state of Colorado. I hope to have the opportunity to do so again.

Question #3: Extreme risk protection orders, also known as red flag laws, allow law enforcement to temporarily remove weapons from individuals at significant risk to themselves or others. Colorado has a red flag law. Do you support extreme risk protection orders?

Yes

Would you like to explain your response to question #3?

Question #4: Overdose deaths are at an all-time high nationally and in Colorado. Many believe increasing criminal penalties for people who use drugs is the answer. Do you support increased criminal penalties for people who use drugs? *
(Please note that we are asking about personal use, not distribution)*

Would you like to explain your response to question #4?

Question # 5: As a follow up question, did you support legislation in the 2022 session that drastically increased the criminal penalty for possession of any substance over 1g if that substance contains any amount of fentanyl?

Yes

Would you like to explain your response to question #5?

The 2022 bill was not a perfect bill, by any means. There were good parts of the bill, but sadly the possession of 1g, as was intended by the Speaker, was changed due to political pressure. Punishing addicts hasn’t worked in the past and will still not work today. There are negative ramifications to the bill as written, admittedly, but because of the political climate, there was a reason to pass something, even if it wasn’t the best policy. I believe that there will be an effort to change the policy, as long as we keep the control of the Legislature and I would be supportive of making those changes.

Question #6: Do you believe the State should invest more funding for mental health and substance use? If yes, please explain where you would want additional funding to be directed. If no, please explain why.

We need to continue to add more resources for folks. We need to ensure that people have the resources they need to get through those difficult times. As a community we need to expand services. Access to therapy, rehabilitation services, and expanding key resources for our local hospitals, things as simple as a few more beds. We need to ensure that we are supporting supportive housing options, especially for LGBTQI and specifically trans folks. There are not enough housing options that accept trans and GNC folks.

Question #7: People needing care, supports, and services for their mental health and substance use often experience discrimination as a result of their health condition. Would you support legislation that would protect people needing care, supports, and services for their mental health and substance use conditions from discriminatory practices?

Yes

Would you like to explain your response to question #7?

Question #8: For too long the state’s criminal justice system has acted as a substitute for a comprehensive mental health care system. Would you support policies that would disentangle mental health from the criminal justice system and promote the expansion of programs like Denver’s STAR program?

Yes