After a session that put hundreds of millions of dollars into mental health programs, some Colorado lawmakers surged to the front of the class, while others need remedial guidance, according to the state s chief advocacy organization.
Mental Health Colorado celebrated scoring about $132 million for new programs in the legislative session that ended last month.
Based on their votes on bills backed Mental Health Colorado, 39 House and 18 Senate Democrats scored 100.
Sen. Kevin Priola of Henderson was the only Republican in either chamber to get a perfect score.
Only two lawmakers â Reps. Dave Williams of Colorado Springs and Stephanie Luck of Penrose â scored a zero on the five bills.
A bill that would funnel
millions of dollars into a wide range of services from medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, to vouchers for mental health care in rural areas, to screening for mood and anxiety issues for some new mothers passed in the Colorado Senate on Tuesday and now heads over the House for consideration.
“Even before the pandemic, we knew that we were not meeting mental health needs and addiction needs throughout the state,” Sen. Faith Winter, a Democrat and one of the sponsors of the Behavioral Health Recovery Act, said Monday. “And we know that the second curve of responding to the pandemic is coming. And that second curve is responding to our mental health needs after we’ve collectively gone through this pandemic and also addressing the addiction crisis we’re seeing in this state.”