News Clips
OPINION: Addressing Racism is a Mental Health Imperative
Appeared in the Pagosa Daily Post
By Vincent Atchity
“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
Vincent Atchity
In July, Americans celebrate the birth of independence ― it’s the month of the national holiday when we gather and celebrate our freedom from tyrannical government. 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 ...
Unmasking the debate: A look at the psychology behind mask wearing
By: Kari Harden
Originally appeared in The Steamboat Pilot
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — There is something unique about the intensity of the debate around mask wearing during a pandemic, and there are strong opinions on both sides about the efficacy of masks, the social responsibility of mask wearing and the role of personal freedom.
Whereas in many other countries mask wearing during a pandemic isn’t given a second thought, in recent months, it has become a trigger point in Routt County and across the U.S. — inciting outrage, and in some instances, even violence ...
Lawmakers pass multiple mental health bills
By: Andy Koen
Originally appeared on KOAA News
DENVER — Colorado lawmakers passed multiple bills during the abbreviated session aimed at improving access to mental health services. The bills help school-aged children with access to crisis treatment, expand access to services in rural areas via telehealth, and give employees more flexibility to seek mental health care.
Moe Keller, Director of Advocacy for the nonprofit group Mental Health Colorado, said in a virtual media round table discussion Thursday that a growing number of students contact the Safe2Tell ...
Activists Seek to Change the Relationship Between Mental Health and Policing
Original appeared on SpectrumNews1
By: David Mendez
On June 15, Kendrick Sampson testified alongside four other members of the People’s Budget L.A. coalition to make his pitch: that the city of Los Angeles must listen to the will of the people — or at least the respondents to the People’s Budget survey — and defund police.
“We know that ‘public safety’ is not policing. If policing kept us safe — you’ve got tons of police in the 'hood, right? Fortune 500 CEOs would line up, waiting for spots in the hood. And they’re not, because it doesn't keep ...
Webinars explore mental-health implications of COVID
By: BizWest
Originally appeared in Biz West
While the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated physical and economic health throughout the nation, it is likely also having an impact on mental health.
A two-part series of webinars called Life Interrupted will examine those implications with its first segment Thursday, June 25, at 9 a.m. and the concluding segment on Thursday, July 9, also at 9 a.m.
We are living in a stressful time with worries about our health, the health of our loved ones, our jobs, the economy and whether the healthcare system is prepared to handle ...
LEGISLATURE 2020 | Mental health advocates laud statehouse successes in trying times
By: Joey Bunch
Originally appeared in Colorado Politics
Read the whole story.
What They’re Watching: Vincent Atchity
By: Michael Goldberg
Originally appeared in The State of Reform
Vincent Atchity is the President and CEO at Mental Health Colorado and the former Executive Director of the Equitas Project. Ahead of the 2020 legislative session in Colorado, Atchity joined us as a “What They’re Watching” guest to discuss mental health parity, decriminalizing mental health and reforming first responder systems of care.
While State of Reform spoke with Atchity back in the fall, he offered a prescient take on the issues that persist in the way mental heath intersects with ...
Mental Health Colorado starts initiative for Coloradans to connect with friends, allies, and neighbors
Originally appeared on My Prime Time News
“In This Together” initiative will help build social closeness as we maintain social distancing guidelines ~
DENVER— This is undoubtedly one of the most stressful times imaginable for many. This pandemic drives the message home that our physical health and our mental health are not separate. To combat feelings of loneliness, isolation, and stress, and to get through this pandemic with healthier minds, Mental Health Colorado started “In This Together” as a way to connect people with people—and just to chat. People can ...
Suicides in Colorado dropped 40% during first 2 months of coronavirus pandemic — but calls to crisis line spiked
By: Jessica Seaman
Originally appeared in the Daily Camera
Colorado recorded a 40% decrease in suicides in March and April as social-distancing policies aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus kept residents home, according to provisional death-certificate data from the state health department.
The data helps paint a complex picture of the mental and emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. While suicides are down from 2019 levels, Colorado Crisis Services saw an almost 48% increase calls in March and April compared to last year, with most callers ...
Embracing our business uncertainty together for employee mental health
By Steve Ebner
Originally appeared in The Denver Business Journal
Are you OK? It’s a simple question, but its impact can be dramatic. Now more than ever, mental health should be part of every manager’s checklist. Managing one’s mental well-being is challenging in the best of times. Now it is daunting. The suddenness of how Covid-19 has changed our workplace and family life has accelerated stress. We worry about adapting to remote working, getting gravely sick, suffering a job loss and watching assets like our 401k and our home lose value. For most ...
