News Clips
400 people with mental illness are sitting in Colorado jails. Some state lawmakers want to divert them to treatment instead.
March 27, 2024
By: Jennifer Brown
About 30 people testified in favor of the bill, including Denver District Attorney Beth McCann and Maureen Cain, policy director for the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender.
Cain said the waitlist is “the most significant injustice” witnessed in courtrooms across the state, according to a survey of public defenders. “These poor people will keep coming back and we can’t wait any longer,” she said.
At the news conference, where supporters of the bill carried “Care Not Cuffs” signs, Mental Health Colorado ...
Colorado’s Youth Mental Health Crisis
March 23, 2024
By: Lexi Miller
As schools are stretched to their capacity, it is increasingly important that the state find ways to support mental health funding. Mauser explained the issue: “One call is more mental health counselors in schools, which is probably true. In my mind, here is a cautionary note: Counselors are important, but they won’t be doing hourly sessions with a student who needs that kind of support. They can evaluate the importance of mental health if they need it. It is up to the parent to find that support.” Mental Health Coloradois working ...
Stakeholders highlight importance of patient, facilitator safety in preparation of psilocybin distribution in Colorado
March 22, 2024
By: Shane Ersland
Patient and facilitator safety will be top of mind for Colorado mental health professionals when the state begins to distribute psilocybin next year. Stakeholders considered ways to address that last week.
Mental Health Colorado and the Healing Advocacy Fund hosted the final session of a webinar series detailing the impact of psilocybin legalization in the state. Nearly 1.3 million residents voted affirmatively for Proposition 122 in 2022. Colorado is the second state in the nation to approve a state-regulated program for legal ...
Colorado eating disorder patients say they’ve been subjected to nude weigh-ins, forced to eat non-vegan foods
March 18, 2024
By: Jennifer Brown
While Colorado is a national hub for eating disorder treatment, the state does not regulate centers’ treatment plans or clinical practices. The clinics are regulated only by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which performs safety inspections and investigates complaints. The legislation from state Sens. Lisa Cutter and Faith Winter, both Democrats, would put the clinics under the purview of the state Behavioral Health Administration, which oversees mental health hospitals.
Eating disorders are the second...
Coloradans with Medicaid and serious mental illness could soon receive better care at certain facilities
March 18, 2024
By: Tatiana Flowers
The IMD policy was passed during the deinstitutionalization movement and the goal was to get people out of asylums and back into their communities while also increasing availability of publicly funded, community-based mental health services.
“The thought was, states would be less likely to institutionalize people with serious mental health conditions, if the federal government wouldn’t pay for long lengths of stay and would instead pay for services in the community, which was wonderful,” said Lauren Snyder, vice president ...
Some of the 1,400 patients of a Western Slope clinic are still struggling to find care a month after its abrupt closure
March 13, 2024
By: Tatiana Flowers
Mental health experts said they understand state leaders needed to shut down the clinic to ensure patient safety. But the national behavioral health crisis is making it difficult for some former Integrated clients to find competent care, especially in rural areas, where mental health care options are scarce and the distance between medical offices is vast.
But when a clinic shutters in a small, rural community, that’s an emergency too, said Vincent Atchity, president and CEO of Mental Health Colorado.
Patients can lose ...
Oregon psilocybin facilitators share their experiences with professionals preparing for rollout of mushroom distribution in Colorado
March 13, 2024
By: Shane Ersland
The meeting was the third part of an ongoing webinar series hosted by Mental Health Colorado and the Healing Advocacy Fund to discuss the impact of psilocybin legalization in the state. Nearly 1.3 million residents voted affirmatively for Proposition 122 in 2022, making Colorado the second state in the nation to approve a state-regulated program for legal access to psilocybin therapies.
Ashley Perales, partnerships and development manager for Mental Health Colorado, said the organization is dedicated to promoting mental health and ...
Eating disorder survivors say new law is needed to establish standards of care
February 29, 2024
By: Carly Moore
Vincent Atchity with Mental Health Colorado said this bill would put in place standards of care for eating disorder treatment programs.
"Until now, there had been no such thing as formalized standards of care in those settings," Atchity said. “And the testimony on the part of consumers of eating disordered care is sort of hair-raising when it comes to the kind of experiences that folks have had in those settings. And that’s what has really motivated this work to bring this bill about that Senator Lisa Cutter has ...
Bill aims to improve regulations at Colorado eating disorder care centers
February 29, 2024
By: Carly Moore
"We are grateful to Colorado legislators for prioritizing compassionate, culturally-competent and gender-affirming care for all patients seeking treatment for an eating disorder, one of the most prevalent and deadly mental health conditions. When the treatment is worse than the illness, we know we will not see the positive outcomes our communities and patients need. This legislation is an important step forward to put more Coloradans on the path to recovery." - Vincent Atchity
Read the full article in KDVR
Bill to improve eating disorder care passes Colorado House Committee
February 28, 2024
By: Alexander Brunet
"We are grateful to Colorado legislators for prioritizing compassionate, culturally-competent and gender-affirming care for all patients seeking treatment for an eating disorder, one of the most prevalent and deadly mental health conditions. When the treatment is worse than the illness, we know we will not see the positive outcomes our communities and patients need. This legislation is an important step forward to put more Coloradans on the path to recovery." - Vincent Atchity
Read the full article in KRDO
