Colorado providers call an array of funding woes a ‘perfect storm’
Mental Health Weekly | October 21, 2024 Colorado’s community mental health providers say they are experiencing many of the downsides that can come with a period of dizzying change. Facing declining Medicaid rolls, a shifting payment model and no prospects for new state funding to support restructuring, the state’s provider community is calling the current…
Read More
We Must Be Champions of Our Mental and Physical Health Safety Net – Before It’s Too Late
By Kara Johnson-Hufford A teen struggling with mental health issues caused by a rocky home life finds support in their school-based clinic. A new mother facing postpartum depression seeks help at her local crisis clinic, ensuring stability for herself and her young family. A rancher, overwhelmed by the demands of maintaining their operation, shares stories…
Read More
The mental health and substance use disorder safety net is plagued by uncertainty
By Kara Johnson-Hufford For Colorado’s safety net providers, these are challenging times. For Colorado’s Community Mental Health Centers, it’s hard to see the path forward because uncertainty in a host of areas clouds the picture. Why the apprehension? Because many of our state’s bedrock, community-based mental health and substance use disorder providers are on the…
Read More
Mental Health First Aid Courses During May is Mental Health Month
As we get closer to May, a month dedicated to raising national awareness about mental health, we are reminded of the importance of prioritizing mental wellness and supporting each other in times of need. This year, Mental Health First Aid Colorado will be observing Mental Health Awareness Month by supporting a community initiative to promote…
Read More
The Budget Realities of Colorado’s Community Mental Health Centers
By Kara Johnson-Hufford Here are two things we know about the state of mental health in Colorado: The number of individuals who need services and supports for all sorts of mental health conditions is increasing and the amount of funding the state has to invest in services and supports is not keeping pace. It’s an…
Read More
Immediate action required to protect safety net behavioral health system
By Kara Johnson-Hufford We’ve all seen and heard a lot about the challenges we face as a state around our mental health and substance use disorder treatment systems. An increasing number of people in need of services and supports, a declining number of people working in the system and funding for all of this that…
Read More
Colorado’s behavioral health reform can’t leave the most seriously mentally ill behind
By Kara Johnson-Hufford Recently, the mayors of Colorado’s three largest cities made a public plea for help in three newspapers. Their point was simple: If we leave people with serious mentally illness (SMI) to fend for themselves in our communities and on our streets, we are endangering them and hurting our communities. The mayors of…
Read More