Colorado legislators push obesity prevention bill, governor’s approval is uncertain

April 12, 2024 By: Marissa Ventrelli Erin Harrop of Mental Health Colorado echoed Chastain's concerns with the pharmaceutical industry profiting from weight loss medications whose long-term effects have not yet been fully studied. She said the longest trial of GLP-1 medications on obese individuals lasted only two years. "Like the opioid epidemic, the pharmaceutical industry stands to make huge profits before the long-term studies are even completed as desperate patients and well-meaning providers seek solutions," she said. Read the full article in Colorado Politics

Colorado’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

March 23, 2024 By: Lexi Miller As schools are stretched to their capacity, it is increasingly important that the state find ways to support mental health funding. Mauser explained the issue: “One call is more mental health counselors in schools, which is probably true. In my mind, here is a cautionary note: Counselors are important, but they won’t be doing hourly sessions with a student who needs that kind of support. They can evaluate the importance of mental health if they need it. It is up to the parent to find that support.” Mental Health Coloradois working on legislation to help access support that is out of network, so individuals ...

Stakeholders highlight importance of patient, facilitator safety in preparation of psilocybin distribution in Colorado

March 22, 2024 By: Shane Ersland Patient and facilitator safety will be top of mind for Colorado mental health professionals when the state begins to distribute psilocybin next year. Stakeholders considered ways to address that last week. Mental Health Colorado and the Healing Advocacy Fund hosted the final session of a webinar series detailing the impact of psilocybin legalization in the state. Nearly 1.3 million residents voted affirmatively for Proposition 122 in 2022. Colorado is the second state in the nation to approve a state-regulated program for legal access to psilocybin therapies. “Coloradans deserve more tools to address ...

Colorado eating disorder patients say they’ve been subjected to nude weigh-ins, forced to eat non-vegan foods

March 18, 2024 By: Jennifer Brown While Colorado is a national hub for eating disorder treatment, the state does not regulate centers’ treatment plans or clinical practices. The clinics are regulated only by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which performs safety inspections and investigates complaints. The legislation from state Sens. Lisa Cutter and Faith Winter, both Democrats, would put the clinics under the purview of the state Behavioral Health Administration, which oversees mental health hospitals. Eating disorders are the second-deadliest mental health condition, after opioid abuse. From 2018 to 2022, health ...

Eating disorder survivors say new law is needed to establish standards of care

February 29, 2024 By: Carly Moore Vincent Atchity with Mental Health Colorado said this bill would put in place standards of care for eating disorder treatment programs. "Until now, there had been no such thing as formalized standards of care in those settings," Atchity said. “And the testimony on the part of consumers of eating disordered care is sort of hair-raising when it comes to the kind of experiences that folks have had in those settings. And that’s what has really motivated this work to bring this bill about that Senator Lisa Cutter has sponsored.” Read the full article in 9News

Bill aims to improve regulations at Colorado eating disorder care centers

February 29, 2024 By: Carly Moore "We are grateful to Colorado legislators for prioritizing compassionate, culturally-competent and gender-affirming care for all patients seeking treatment for an eating disorder, one of the most prevalent and deadly mental health conditions. When the treatment is worse than the illness, we know we will not see the positive outcomes our communities and patients need. This legislation is an important step forward to put more Coloradans on the path to recovery." - Vincent Atchity Read the full article in KDVR

Colorado has the nation’s third-longest waitlist for people charged with crimes and ordered into psychiatric treatment

January 24, 2024 By: Jennifer Brown But private hospitals typically do not take patients who have been ordered into treatment through the criminal justice system. And private hospitals often do not take people with the most severe behavioral problems or those who cannot pay, which means state hospitals are sometimes the only option. Mental Health Colorado president Vincent Atchity called on Colorado to “disentangle” mental health care from the criminal justice system. “The number of people being held in Colorado jails when they should be getting health care is an unacceptable tragedy,” he said. “Not only are their rights being ...

Colorado addiction experts prioritize care for individuals leaving carceral settings

November 7, 2023 By: Shane Ersland Helping Coloradans who struggle with addiction, particularly for individuals transitioning out of a carceral setting, will require greater availability of adequate treatment services in the state, according to health leaders. Harm Reduction Action Center Executive Director Lisa Raville and Mental Health Colorado President and CEO Vincent Atchity discussed the state’s addiction-related challenges at the 2023 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference last month. “At Mental Health Colorado, we acknowledge that humans have used a wide variety of substances, ranging from caffeine and tea to things ...

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