Blog
One goal
Sept. 24, 2020
You may have heard, but if not, Mental Health Colorado is hosting 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 for mental health.
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.
I hope you’ll join us!
Sincerely,
Vincent Atchity, President ...
Hey, it’s Vincent
It’s almost here—our Virtual Tribute Gala is 23 days away!
And while things look a little different this year, that doesn’t mean we’re any less excited about what’s in store.
Before you get too enthusiastic and click on this registration link, I just want to remind you of what’s to come.
Former Denver Bronco Reggie Rivers is joining for the second year in a row and Patrick J. Kennedy, former Congressman from Rhode Island, is joining the Tribute crew for the first time to deliver the keynote.
Our team has been hard at work creating a silent ...
End shame and discrimination
Sept. 9, 2020
Jacob was once ashamed of admitting that he had autism and depression.
“There was a moment when I decided I wasn’t going to tell people I had it,” said Jacob. “I wanted to be held to high expectations—the same as anyone else. And I think in that, I squandered an opportunity to be true to myself.”
None of us is immune to mental health or substance use concerns, and we should never have to feel ashamed of the state of our mental health.
Mental Health Colorado works every day to end shame and discrimination associated with ...
Recognizing Recovery
People can recover. People do recover.
Mental Health Colorado strives every day to create healthier minds across the lifespan and reduce the potential harm from drugs and alcohol. Every September for National Recovery Month, we join the rest of the nation in celebrating the millions of Americans in recovery from harmful substance use.
We are proud of our work to help those in recovery—including three notable pieces of legislation:
We led the fight to hold insurers accountable for mental health parity—the law that says they must cover me...
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Mental Health Month
Addressing racism is a mental health priority. The systemic inequities that permeate all our lives prevent any of us from achieving healthier minds—and they cannot be ignored.
Join us for the virtual event, where you'll hear from Dr. Apryl Alexander, D.U. Graduate School of Professional Psychology; Jason Vitello, Denver Public Health; and Neva Martinez-Ortega, Servicios de La Raza.
Some questions our speakers will discuss include:
How do systemic racism and cultural incompetence within systems of care affect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color?
...
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Mental Health Month
July 4, 2020
“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” – James Baldwin
July is the month Americans celebrate the birth of independence―it’s the month of the national holiday when we gather and celebrate our freedom.
But in a country where Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are less likely to have access to mental health services and more likely to have lower quality care;
In a country where Black, Indigenous, and ...
Passing Laws!
June 26, 2020
Colorado took meaningful steps toward healthier minds across the lifespan despite the historic, interrupted 2020 legislative session, which officially ended just last week. The reduced state revenue resulting from the pandemic inevitably had an impact on our mental health and substance use policy work—and the fact that we made progress against such strong headwinds is cheering testimony to the prominence of mental health among the priorities of elected officials in both parties.
Our 2020 Legislative Report and Legislator ...
LGBTQ+ Communities and Mental Health
Mental Health Colorado believes that love is love—and love is one of the best medicines we have to support health across the lifespan. We are committed to pursuing equity for all Coloradans, especially those who have historically been and currently remain neglected and oppressed—or much worse—on account of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals often face shame and discrimination, sometimes—and most painfully—within their own families. ...
LGBTQ+ Communities and Mental Health
Mental Health Colorado believes that love is love—and love is one of the best medicines we have to support health across the lifespan. We are committed to pursuing equity for all Coloradans, especially those who have historically been and currently remain neglected and oppressed—or much worse—on account of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals often face shame and discrimination, sometimes—and most painfully—within their own ...
What is Juneteenth? Please read.
Juneteenth is an annual holiday observing the end of slavery in the U.S. and marks the day (June 19, 1865) when news of emancipation reached people in the deepest parts of the former Confederacy in Galveston, Texas – two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been formally declared.
To celebrate Juneteenth and underscore our heartfelt understanding that Black Lives Matter, all Mental Health Colorado staff is taking time to reflect on the real and potential intersections of our mental health advocacy with antiracism.
We’ve put together a list of ...
