News Clips
Mental health data is lacking, particularly for local youth
BY NAT STEIN
The data available on mental health in El Paso County does not compare favorably to statistics from the rest of the state.
There’s the suicide rate: From 2013 to 2015, El Paso County’s stood at 23.1 per 100,000 residents compared to 19.1 statewide, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) Vital Statistics. There’s the percentage of adults with diagnosed depression: 21.6 percent here compared to 19.3 statewide, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. ...
Time to talk: Community members form unique mental health partnership
BY ALEX DEWIND
adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Several Douglas County administrators sat on one side of a large rectangular table. The deputy county attorney was a few seats down, near a deputy from the sheriff’s office. Representatives from area hospitals, public health departments, rehabilitation centers, nonprofits and churches filled other seats. Some people presented; others listened and threw around ideas.
They were at a monthly meeting at Douglas County’s administration building in Castle Rock to brainstorm how they could better serve residents with ...
Report: Colorado among worst states in terms of mental health, especially for kids
By TheDenverChannel.com Team
DENVER – A new report on mental health care in the United States shows that Colorado is worse than most states at treating those who need help, especially kids.
The report from the nonprofit advocacy group Mental Health America compared all 50 states and Washington, DC on things like prevalence of mental health issues and access to treatment and found that overall, Colorado ranks 43rd.
In terms of prevalence, data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that 19.55 percent of Colorado residents ...
Mom wants to spread mental health awareness after family tragedy
By Kyla Galer
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A local mom is trying to spread awareness about mental health after tragedy -- and turns out they are not the only family struggling in Colorado.
When KKTV first aired the Murphy family's interview detailing the horrific night their children were murdered, there was an overwhelming response from the community. Malik Murphy, 20, is accused of stabbing and killing his 5-year-old sister Sophia and 7-year-old brother Noah. While these crimes are unimaginable, many people said they could resonate on some level with ...
Mental-health services are hard to get, state nonprofit chief says
BY PETER ROPER, THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN PROPER@CHIEFTAIN.COM
People needing mental health services are seven times more likely to have to go outside their insurance network for care than patients just needing medical care, according to a national study released this week by Mental Health Colorado.
State law says health insurance providers should be able to provide both medical care and mental health care with parity, but the latest study shows mental health patients are far more unlikely to be able to get care from their providers.
Andrew Romanoff, executive director ...
KOA NewsRadio Close-Up: Mental Health Parity
KOA NewsRadio's Jerry Bell sits down with Andrew Romanoff, President & CEO of Mental Health Colorado, to discuss a new report from Milliman revealing insurance disparities between mental health care and physical health care.
‘Maybe You Should Pay Them More’: Insurance Not Compensating Mental Health Providers
By Stan Bush
DENVER (CBS4)– Mental health care advocates are blaming insurance companies for an alarming gap in service, according to a study.
The survey, conducted by Mental Health America and The Kennedy Forum, concludes that mental health patients are forced to look for care outside of their insurance network seven times more than physical care patients.
Andrew Romanoff, CEO for Mental Health Colorado blames insurers for not compensating mental health providers, estimates to be 40 percent less than their counterparts in physical care.
“We ...
Study reveals mental health care providers are hard to find in Colorado
Anastasiya Bolton, KUSA
November 30, 2017
DENVER - Results of a national study released Thursday revealed mental health care providers are difficult to find, hard to pay for and often make less than other physicians.
The study was sponsored by Mental Health Colorado’s national organization Mental Health America, The Kennedy Forum, and other large mental health and substance use organizations.
"The study shows that mental health providers aren’t making as much as other health care providers and as a result,” said Andrew Romanoff, president and CEO of ...
If Your Insurer Covers Few Therapists, Is That Really Mental Health Parity?
By Jenny Gold | NOVEMBER 30, 2017
It’s been nearly a decade since Congress passed the mental health parity act, with its promise to make mental health and substance abuse treatment just as easy to get as care for any other condition. Yet today, in the midst of the opioid epidemic and a spike in the rate of suicide, patients still struggle to access treatment.
That’s the conclusion of a report published Thursday by Milliman Inc., a national risk management and health care consulting company. The report was released by a coalition of mental health and ...
New mental health tool to help communities
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -- One local non-profit group is making it easier to find mental health statistics in your community.
Mental Health Colorado created the data dashboard. You can select your county, like El Paso County. Then you can scroll over each picture to see the numbers for where you live. For example, 12 percent of residents in El Paso County reported eight or more days of poor mental health. That's higher than the state average.
We sat down with the CEO to talk about how you can use this new tool.
“Now we put all this data in one place so ...
