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Meg Fossinger
I have worked in the social work field for nearly 15 years, serving the most vulnerable in our community. One of the things that inspired me to run is the challenges in accessing services and resources. We often talk about the need for additional mental health services, and that is absolutely the case, but we also must address the systemic problems that often trigger or exacerbate mental health challenges.
Evidence shows that early intervention is key and I support increasing funding to our schools to allow them to provide the needed support to our children. For adults ...
Rhonda Fields
Mental Health Matters
Personal Statement - Rhonda Fields
June 2020
My name is Rhonda Fields and I have been serving the State of Colorado for 10 years as a public servant. Currently a State Senator representing Arapahoe County, Aurora, Senate District 29.
Here's my personal statement on mental health:
Healthcare is a human right and mental health is just as important as physical health. I believe that everyone at risk for mental illnesses should receive early and effective interventions. However, historically, communities of color experience unique and considerable ...
Naquetta Ricks
Beyond a doubt, we need to address the mental health issues that are core issues of many of our societal problems. Whether it is substance abuse, educational failures, prison reform and/or family dysfunction--most societal issues are originating from mental health concerns.
Addressing these problems as close to inception is societally and financially a dramatic savings over providing these services later. And the human savings is incalculable. We need to be dedicated as representatives of our population to be supportive of legislation that strongly addresses these ...
Carlos Lopez
Mental health is something that has been neglected for way too long in our country and especially in rural Colorado. We all too often criminalize those who need treatment and eventually have interactions with the law. We have an ever growing homeless population that is often left to fend for themselves, yet our biggest complaints come from those who don't want to spend any funds to alleviate the issues that lead to vagrancy. And lastly, we don't have specialists in our schools who will catch these behaviors, work with our students exhibiting traits of onset of mental ...
Hans Hochheimer
I learned that you need to ask the right question when you want to find solutions to a problem. So, the question is why do we suddenly have such an increase concerning mental health problems? I still don't have an answer, but I know that band aid solutions will not solve the problem, nor putting more money in to continue band aid solutions.
So, what would I do, when I am elected. I would find people who don't have financial interests in any kind of solutions and try to find an answer to this question above. Then, I would work to find real solutions and get the means to ...
Meg Froelich
These are difficult times for many Coloradans and we must place Mental Health as a priority in our community. With suicide as the leading cause of death for our youth, I believe in funding mental health professionals in our schools, addressing gun violence, school safety and educating adults on the particular mental and behavioral health challenges facing our youth. I sponsor Mental Health First Aid classes in my District and have hosted several Town Halls on the topic. In 2019 I sponsored an important bill providing wrap around pediatric behavioral and mental health ...
Donna Morganstern
Mental health issues have reached a critical point for children and youth, who face huge challenges in our culture of bullying, internet and social media, academic demands, peer pressure, and substance abuse. It is not surprising so many suffer emotional and mental health issues. It is surprising that we do not provide nearly sufficient resources to deal with these issues in where they spend most of their time, with hundreds of others their age with the same issues, and where most of these pressures come to bear--school. Colorado has become the “poster child” for ...
Mayling Simpson
Statement on support for mental and behavioral health for school children For Mental Health Colorado:
Mayling Simpson, June 23, 2020
Education is a key tool for healthier minds. Public schools are the perfect environment for fostering healthy minds and behaviors.
I support the training of all teachers in the mental and behavioral health of children. My first year teaching high school, I had two students with mental health issues, and I had no training in how to deal with them. Thus, I know first-hand how important training can be. Teachers should be equipped to ...
Bri Buentello
My campaign for re-election is focused on a holistic approach to improving the mental health services available to the people of Southern Colorado. In the midst of the COVID pandemic, it is more crucial than ever that all Coloradans have access to quality healthcare, especially mental health support. That is why I have endorsed and will continue to support any measures that will improve our mental health and care services. From improving education for our children and promoting healthy environments for students to learn and interact with others, to working to bolster the ...
Karla Esser
My name is Karla Esser and I am running for the State Board of Education (SBE) in Congressional District 7. Education has been my passion and profession for four decades. I have been a teacher, building administrator, assistant superintendent, and a professor, in Colorado and in the German public school system.
Colorado has the highest growth in teen suicide in the nation. For this reason, several parent groups in different districts are offering free suicide prevention workshops for parents and teachers. Considering the CoVID crisis and the recent protests around ...
