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Bipartisan legislation would make it easier to find critical mental health resources
DENVER, CO– The House Committee on Public Health Care and Human Services today advanced Representative Brianna Titone’s bill to make mental health educational resources more accessible by a vote of 11-1.
“Many Coloradans don’t know about all the behavioral health care resources that are currently available in our state,” said Rep. Titone (D-Arvada). “This bill will provide links to all these resources in one easy to access online directory and will create a tailored outreach campaign to help make people aware of where they can find these critical resources.”
By providing these resources, legislators aim to reduce Colorado’s highest in the nation suicide rate based on research showing that targeted advertising campaigns do produce results.
HB20-1113, which is also sponsored by Representative Lois Landgraf, would require the state to contract with an organization to create an online resource directory with information about mental health crisis resources and resources for individuals seeking behavioral health care services. The online directory and internet links would include information about the Colorado SEE ME campaign and the national suicide prevention hotline. It would also include demographic-specific information about behavioral health care providers that are available to people seeking mental health care services with links to the providers’ websites.
The bill allows the state to seek and accept private or public donations to create these online resources and requires the department of human services to contract with an organization to develop and distribute community and demographic-specific targeted messaging about the availability of the new mental health resources online directory. Furthermore, the bill allows health care professionals to complete a course in mental health education as part of their continuing education competency requirements.