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The Mental Health Center of Denver is proud of the public service campaign, Mental Health is Health, a partnership between the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council and Rocky Mountain PBS along with the 16 community other mental health centers providing services around Colorado.

Mental health issues don’t discriminate – they can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time in their lives. And one in five Coloradans is dealing with these issues, either those of their own or of someone they know.

Yet despite the prevalence of mental health issues in so many of our lives, we still feel uncomfortable discussing these challenges or asking for help.

First Lady Jeanne Ritter is a champion of mental health issues. In the new public service campaign - Mental Health is Health – she encourages people to consider good mental health as part of their overall well-being.

View the Mental Health is Health public service campaign featuring First Lady Jeanne Ritter here. And watch for more to come over the next year on Rocky Mountain PBS as Channel 6, features on-air educational spots; online features, tip sheets and resources in collaboration with the state’s mental health centers.

So keep watching Channel 6 and visiting www.rmpbs.org as well as our website to learn more about mental health and how to make good mental health part of your life.

Public Policy Update

Over 500 people attended the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH) Hill Day on June 29-30. Seventy-one of the attendants were from Colorado, including Dr. Carl Clark, Ric Durity, Jeff Tucker, and Board member Lisa Roy from MHCD.  The 552 letters from MHCD staff, consumers, friends, and family from the letter-writing campaign were very impressive!  MHCD won the 2010 National Council award for the center contributing the most letters!  Go us!

At Hill Day Dr. Clark, Ric, Jeff and Lisa met with all our Colorado legislators, who were supportive of our issues in general. The most pressing legislative topics currently include: 

1. Mental health centers want the federally qualified behavioral health center (FQBHC) designation pursued.  It was not included in healthcare reform, and thus mental health centers in the United States are not defined at the national level. This means mental health centers are not included in legislation changes for more funding, and we do not get best pricing for medications.
2. We want mental health centers to be included in healthcare reform legislation rewards (better reimbursement rates) for using an electronic medical record in a significant way. 

The NCCBH and Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (CBHC) monitor legislative issues at the state and national level.  As a member of these groups, MHCD receives updates regarding healthcare reform frequently.  Much is still uncertain, as models are still being piloted and policies developed; however, the Executive Management Team reviews this information periodically and strategically plans for the future.

Read the latest NCCBH Public Policy Update:  http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/cs/latest_issue

Read about what healthcare reform means for mental health and addiction services in the new NCCBH Magazine: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5799623/MHCReform.pdf