2011
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 11-013
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) Nicholson, Aguilar, Bacon, Boyd, Brophy, Cadman,
       Carroll, Foster, Giron, Grantham, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Hodge,
       Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, King K., King S., Kopp, Lambert, Lundberg,
       Mitchell, Morse, Newell, Renfroe, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Shaffer
       B., Spence, Steadman, Tochtrop, White, Williams S.;
       also REPRESENTATIVE(S) DelGrosso, Acree, Balmer, Barker,
       Baumgardner, Becker, Beezley, Bradford, Brown, Casso, Conti, Coram,
       Court, Duran, Ferrandino, Fischer, Gardner B., Gardner D., Gerou,
       Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Jones, Joshi, Kagan, Kefalas, Kerr A.,
       Kerr J., Labuda, Lee, Levy, Liston, Looper, Massey, McCann, McKinley,
       Miklosi, Murray, Nikkel, Pabon, Pace, Peniston, Priola, Ramirez,
       Riesberg, Ryden, Schafer S., Scott, Solano, Sonnenberg, Soper,
       Stephens, Summers, Swalm, Swerdfeger, Szabo, Todd, Tyler, Vaad,
       Vigil, Waller, Williams A., Wilson, McNulty.
       
       
          CONCERNING RECOGNITION OF COMMUNITY MENTAL
       HEALTH CENTERS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
       ORGANIZATIONS IN COLORADO. 
       
       
          WHEREAS, Mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders are
       treatable, and recovery is possible when appropriate treatment services
       are available and accessible; and
       
          WHEREAS, Mental health is a key component to a person's overall
       health, and any effort to reform the health care system must
       comprehensively include mental health in order to realize marked
       improvements in access, cost, efficiency, quality, and sustainability; and
       
          WHEREAS, The community mental health system is advancing an
       integrated health care approach by addressing mental health and
       substance abuse disorders together with physical health to realize better
       patient outcomes, reduced health care costs, and improved patient
       satisfaction; and
       
          WHEREAS, Persons with mental health and substance abuse
       disorders who have access to local, community-based prevention,
       intervention, and treatment services are much less likely to require the
       more expensive alternatives of hospitalization or incarceration, and their
       chances of becoming homeless are greatly reduced; and
       
          WHEREAS, Community mental health centers, working with
       behavioral health organizations, are the health care homes for many
       children and adults with mental health issues who would otherwise be
       unable to access much-needed mental health treatment; and
       
          WHEREAS, The Department of Corrections' 2009 statistical report
       showed that over 30% of DOC court commitments have moderate to
       severe mental health treatment needs, and nearly 80% have moderate to
       severe substance abuse treatment needs; and
       
          WHEREAS, Investing in mental health and substance abuse services
       in the community has been proven to reduce recidivism, increase public
       safety, and save taxpayer dollars; and
       
          WHEREAS, While families of soldiers serving abroad must cope with
       the absence of a spouse or loved one and, upon the return of that soldier,
       with possible readjustment issues and post-traumatic stress
       disorder-related problems, there are currently no mental health services
       provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to the families of
       veterans; and
       
          WHEREAS, National studies have shown that nearly 20% of veterans
       of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation
       New Dawn return with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or
       major depression; community mental health centers can play a key role
       in providing mental health and substance abuse treatment to these
       returning soldiers and their families; and
       
          WHEREAS, The demand for mental health and substance abuse
       treatment has reached record levels in Colorado, and, for over 40 years,
       nonprofit community mental health centers and clinics have provided
       comprehensive mental health services to indigent and under-insured
       citizens of Colorado by partnering with the state to best utilize available
       local, state, and federal funding; and
       
          WHEREAS, Behavioral health organizations have successfully
       administered the mental health benefits of the state Medicaid program for
       more than 15 years, saving the state of Colorado millions of dollars while
       connecting clients with available community mental health services and
       thereby improving treatment outcomes; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of
       the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
       
          That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, hereby:
       
          (1)  Recognize the vital role played by community mental health
       centers and behavioral health organizations in Colorado's system of health
       care; and
       
          (2)  Express our appreciation and gratitude to all those individuals
       who dedicate time, energy, and hard work to this challenging but critical
       area of health care.
       
                    Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to
       Governor John Hickenlooper and to the directors of the Colorado
       Department of Human Services, the Colorado Department of Health Care
       Policy and Financing, and the Colorado Department of Military and
       Veterans Affairs.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Brandon C. Shaffer                     Frank McNulty
       PRESIDENT OF                    SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES
       
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Cindi Markwell                        Marilyn Eddins
       SECRETARY OF                CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES