Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, D-Boulder
Rep. Clarice Navarro,
R-Pueblo
Colorado lawmakers locked in partisan tiffs in the final days of the legislative session will lay down their arms and join arms around the issue of mental health Monday. In a public bipartisan ceremony Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper will sign a proclamation declaring May Mental Health Month in the state.
The noon ceremony in the West Foyer of the Capitol also will be led by Democratic House Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst of Boulder and Republican Rep. Clarice Navarro of Pueblo. Attendees can a receive free mental-health wellness screening courtesy of Mental Health Colorado, the event’s organizer.
Navarro, a , said such efforts are important to recognizing and treating mental health and substance use.
Supporting mental health awareness is very important to me, and being involved in the kick-off of Mental Health Colorado s campaign will very rewarding,” she said. “And I am happy to support this organization and all that it does to shine a light on such an important issue facing Americans.
Mental Health Month helps encourage Coloradans to become aware of their mental well-being and resources available in their communities, Navarro said.
Mental Health Colorado is in the midst of its Conversation with Colorado campaign, a series of local forums, about mental health issues and services. The next forum is at the Farr Library in Greeley on May 24, starting with a 5:15 p.m. check-in.
At the first forum in Pueblo, organizers found:
— Most participants said they were either not satisfied (59 percent) or only somewhat satisfied (34 percent) with the mental health services in their community.
— The cost of treatment ranked (at 21 percent) as the single-biggest barrier to mental health care, followed closely by concern about what would happen if someone found out (18 percent).
— The top reasons participants said children in their community did not get the mental health care they needed: parents didn t know where to go (25 percent), and the symptoms were not identified (23 percent).
Mental Health Colorado estimates that more than 1 million Coloradans annually struggle with mental health or substance-use disorders. For more information visit the .
