Blog
Are you in?
December 5, 2017
“Are we the only ones?”
A father in Brighton was searching for help. His daughter, a victim of cyberbullying, needed mental health care; she’d been waiting for weeks on end.
A mother in Golden made a similar plea. Her son had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was “getting sicker every day.”
These parents and their children deserve better answers and swifter care. That’s why we’re here.
At Mental Health Colorado, we break through barriers. We change laws. We save lives.
Your support makes that possible. But we don’t ...
You tell me
December 4, 2017
“Are there enough of us?”
That’s what a supporter asked me at a community center in Golden. She wanted politicians to pay attention to mental health care, and she wondered how many people it would take to make that happen.
We’re about to find out.
Tomorrow is Colorado Gives Day, our state’s largest online giving event, but you can schedule your tax-deductible donation right now.
By supporting Mental Health Colorado, you’ll make vital services available to more families in need. And you’ll send a powerful message: that mental ...
Breaking news
November 30, 2017
Need mental health care? Got insurance?
A new report says it’s not that simple.
The report shows that Coloradans are going out of network seven times as often for mental health care as for physical care. And one reason mental health professionals are so scarce: they’re making 40 percent less than other health care providers.
These disparities aren’t just alarming. They may be illegal.
We worked hard to pass laws requiring mental health parity. Now we’re asking you to help us enforce them.
Educating consumers. Eradicating stigma. ...
I made it out alive
November 27, 2017
“I didn’t understand why I felt so empty inside.”
Lea’s story begins with her father. He struggled with depression and died by suicide when she was nine years old.
Devastated, Lea turned to alcohol, drugs, and self-harm. But with therapy and support, she says, “I made it out alive.
Too many Coloradans don’t. More than 1,000 die by suicide every year. The good news: You can make a difference. Colorado Gives Day is Dec. 5, but you can schedule your tax-deductible donation right now.
Lea and survivors like her are living proof ...
Survey Says
November 14, 2017
Can you make it to Golden, Aspen, Littleton, or Fort Collins before Thanksgiving? That’s our schedule over the next seven days.
We’re crisscrossing the state to promote mental health care. But even if you can’t join us in person, you can now follow our progress—and Colorado’s—online.
Our new data dashboard allows you to track key outcomes at a state and local level. Learn how your county compares to the rest of Colorado in the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders and the availability of treatment.
Our new data ...
Landslide
November 8, 2017
Democrats and Republicans shared a victory yesterday.
There’s a sentence you don’t often see. But that’s what happened last night in Eagle County.
More than 10,000 people in Eagle County experience a mental health or substance use disorder each year, yet the county dedicates no resources to treatment. A bipartisan coalition set out to change that, proposing a tax on the sale and production of recreational marijuana.
The result: nearly 74% of voters supported Issue 1A.
We’re proud to have been part of the winning team. But we have far ...
No waiting
October 12, 2017
“Is this likely to get better anytime soon?”
At a meeting in Eagle on Tuesday, a commissioner asked me whether her county should wait for the federal government to improve mental health care. Two days later, the President issued an executive order that jeopardizes coverage for mental health and substance use services and for Americans with preexisting conditions.
“Madam Chair,” I replied, “I’d say if you’re waiting for Washington to help, this will be a very long meeting.”
The good news: Eagle County isn’t waiting. The ...
Cha-ching
September 28, 2017
The Graham-Cassidy bill—a last-ditch attempt to repeal Obamacare—died this week. But one of its sponsors delivered a remarkably revealing eulogy.
Sen. Lindsey Graham lamented not only the series of legislative defeats but also the toll they had taken on his party’s finances. “Online giving went down 40 percent after we failed on health care,” he told Politico. “Pledges went down 60 percent.”
Graham wasn’t the only lawmaker to fret about the politics of health care reform; he was just the most candid. He described GOP donors as ...
Less than a minute
It will take you less than a minute to read this.
By the time you’re done, two Americans will have attempted suicide. Within an hour, five will have died. By Saturday—when National Suicide Prevention Week comes to an end—20 people will have taken their lives in Colorado alone.
Those are the facts. They do little justice to the agony that drives so many to suicide, or the anguish they leave behind.
The good news: There are steps we can take to prevent suicide. Spot the warning signs. Call or text Colorado Crisis Services. Learn how you can help.
It will ...
31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health
Track gratitude and achievement with a journal. Include 3 things you were grateful for and 3 things you were able to accomplish each day.
Start your day with a cup of coffee. Coffee consumption is linked to lower rates of depression. If you can’t drink coffee because of the caffeine, try another good-for-you drink like green tea.
Set up a getaway. It could be camping with friends or a trip to the tropics. The act of planning a vacation and having something to look forward to can boost your overall happiness for up to 8 weeks!
Work your strengths. Do ...
