Passing Laws!

June 26, 2020

Colorado took meaningful steps toward healthier minds across the lifespan despite the historic, interrupted 2020 legislative session, which officially ended just last week. The reduced state revenue resulting from the pandemic inevitably had an impact on our mental health and substance use policy work—and the fact that we made progress against such strong headwinds is cheering testimony to the prominence of mental health among the priorities of elected officials in both parties.

Our 2020 Legislative Report and Legislator Scorecard—hot off the press!—shows how Colorado fared on mental health this session and how your legislators voted on our priority bills. 

Given our heartfelt understanding that Black Lives Matter, it is important to note that a number of the bills we supported—reflecting our historical commitment to health equity—address or correct for disparities that have been disproportionately harmful to Colorado’s Black communities and other communities of color throughout the state’s history.

Many of us realize now more than ever that our mental and physical health are inextricable. As we look ahead to our next session, we will continue to make sure that funding and resources for mental health remain a priority in the wake of the global pandemic.