“I don’t think she was a lost cause”: How one Colorado overdose victim fell through the cracks

April 14, 2024 By: Meg Wingerter People who have both a mental illness and a substance-use disorder often struggle to get treatment that addresses all their needs, because most providers still primarily focus on one or the other, said Vincent Atchity, president and CEO of Mental Health Colorado. Mental health facilities often won’t admit people in active addiction, he said. The Denver area needs more “housing first” options, which get people off the street even if they aren’t ready to stop using drugs immediately, said Atchity, of Mental Health Colorado. Offering wraparound services where people live increases the odds they’ll agree ...

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 legislators set aside $7.2 million to fund longer psychiatric hospital stays

March 29, 2024 By: Seth Klamman Once the money’s appropriated, a waiver expanding hospital stays would need to be approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But other states have already taken similar steps, meaning approval is likely. Much of the money set aside in the state’s budget — $5 million — is federal. “By prioritizing funding for these Coloradans to be able to get the care they need rather than be prematurely discharged, we are saving state resources in the long run and creating healthier communities,” Vincent Atchity, the president and CEO of Mental Health Colorado, said in a statement. “Pol...

400 people with mental illness are sitting in Colorado jails. Some state lawmakers want to divert them to treatment instead.

March 27, 2024 By: Jennifer Brown About 30 people testified in favor of the bill, including Denver District Attorney Beth McCann and Maureen Cain, policy director for the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender. Cain said the waitlist is “the most significant injustice” witnessed in courtrooms across the state, according to a survey of public defenders. “These poor people will keep coming back and we can’t wait any longer,” she said. At the news conference, where supporters of the bill carried “Care Not Cuffs” signs, Mental Health Colorado CEO Vincent Atchity said the legislation would create “real meaningful change....

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 ...

Denver’s Eating Recovery Center ignored patients’ repeated suicide attempts, state investigation finds

November 13, 2023 By: Seth Klamman Two young patients repeatedly attempted to kill themselves in a three-week span earlier this year at a leading Denver eating disorder clinic after a doctor told staff to ignore their behavior, a state investigation found. The two patients — aged 11 and 14 — arrived at the nationally renowned Eating Recovery Center’s Spruce Street clinic in Denver within a day of each other in early June. Both had histories of self-harm and suicidal ideation, in addition to their eating disorders. As their behavior escalated, lower-level staff raised concerns that they weren’t capable of caring for the patients. ...

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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