OPINION: VICTORIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN COLORADO

By Aubree Hughes

Ten Colorado counties are leading the way to improving mental health services in their communities. The counties and their mental health proposals are listed at mentalhealthcolorado.org/ballot2018.

Victories in Denver, Larimer, San Miguel, and Summit counties will steer a record $67 million to the prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. Voters also agreed to fund school-based mental health programs in Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties; jail-based services in Boulder County; and community resources in Pitkin County.

Mental Health Colorado is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization providing technical assistance to communities seeking mental health funding. The organization’s President & CEO Andrew Romanoff said many of these communities are recognizing that it is cheaper to prevent or treat mental illness rather than criminalize or ignore it.

“Now our next task begins,” Romanoff said. “Ensuring that these dollars are wisely spent. We measure our success not by the laws we pass but by the lives we improve as a result.”

Mental Health Colorado is the state’s leading advocate for the prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.

Aubree Hughes is the Communications Associate at Mental Health Colorado.

Originally appeared in Pagosa Daily Post.