Julie McCluskie

State Representative Julie McCluskie
House District 61 – Delta, Gunnison, Lake, Pitkin and Summit Counties

Access to affordable primary, oral and behavioral/mental  health care on the Western Slope has been a priority for me since elected in 2018. Given the high rate of suicide and substance abuse in Colorado’s high country, creating access to mental health services and reducing the stigma attached to mental illness are deeply important to me.

During my first session in office, I championed HB29-1168: The State Innovation Waiver Reinsurance Program which brought health insurance premiums down by 30% in Western Colorado. We expanded the effort this year by passing SB20-215: Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise which refinances reinsurance for an additional five years, and expands access to undocumened persons and those caught in the family glitch. Making sure the hardworking people in our state have access to affordable insurance for behavioral/mental health needs is critical to improving mental health outcomes.

Additionally this past session, I was honored to carry HB20-1006: Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation which was incorporated into HB20-1053. I’m proud to say we are on the path to expanding access to early childhood mental health consultants in child care facilities, classrooms and doctor’s offices across the state!

During my years working in Summit School District, I worked closely with local community mental health partners in developing strong student-based behavioral/mental health prevention and intervention programs and creating Building Hope, a community non-profit “creating solutions to a wide array of challenges in Summit County’s mental health care system.”

I am proud to make behavioral/mental health a priority in my public service for Colorado!