Doyle Forrestal, Director of Public Policy for CBHC, recently had an article published in The National Council Magazine, Volume 3, July 2008. The article highlights the Civilians For Veterans Fund, an effort to make mental health services available for all returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and their families.  Click here to read the article on page 22 and read the rest of the magazine edition dedicated to veterans mental health.

Congratulations to Southeast Mental Health Center and other health organizations in Southeast Colorado for the earning grant awards through the Colorado Rural Healthcare Grant Council.  Read the article from the La Junta Tribune-Democrat to learn more.

Important updates have been made to the 2008 CBHC Conference Program.  Make sure to check them out so you don’t miss out on anything!

Conference Updates

CBHC has made available a variety of fact sheets, newsletters and advocacy tools at CBHC.org.  Click on the Fact Sheets link under Media Resources to access.  It is vital that we all take on the advocate role to reach out and inform those responsible for the future of mental health care in Colorado!  Thanks to everyone for the continued support and feedback!  Don’t forget to identify and contact your local and state policy makers as well -  Legislative/Public Policy link. 

Colorado Public Radio’s Colorado Matters interviewed Rick Doucet, Executive Director of Community Reach Center and Paul Siska,  Undersherrif for Adams County about the need to address mentally ill in jails. 

Listen to the program!

The Federal Communications Commission grant to the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council and the Colorado Hospital Association is getting attention nationwide.  Follow the links below:

Healthcare IT News                           AANP SmartBrief

Government Technology.com          iHealthBeat.org

Click here for a helpful document indicating both the CO State Senate and House of Representatives 2008 after primary candidates.  It breaks down the district, party, district description, registration stats, and a category for other information

COLORADO TO HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST HEALTHCARE INFORMATION NETWORKS IN THE NATION

Click here to view the press release from Governor Ritter’s Office concerning the collaborative efforts to establish the Colorado Telehealth Network, thanks to nearly $10 million in grants awarded by the FCC.

"The court aims to keep kids out of the corrections system - by offering them a chance at treatment. Host Ryan Warner speaks with K.J. Moore, the judge who handles the cases" (CPR.org)

Listen to the Colorado Public Radio show, Colorado Matters, for Monday morning’s segment focusing on the mental health court in Jefferson County.  Click Here.    

The Division of Behavioral Health, The Office of Behavioral Health and Housing, and the Colorado Department of Human Services released the program report for the Early Childhood Specialist Program.  Through this program, each of Colorado’s 17 publicly funded mental health centers received funding to hire a full time early childhood mental health specialist.

Click here to read the report in the Children’s Health section of the CBHC Library