Rocky Mountain News

Tuesday, March 11 at 2:08 PM

Sen. Moe Keller has won the national 2008 State Legislator of the Year award from the American Psychological Association.

The Wheat Ridge Democrat was honored for her successful leadership on legislation to improve mental-health coverage for Coloradans.

In 2007, she passed a bill expanding mental health coverage for nine additional conditions, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, panic disorder, bulimia and anorexia.

“Considering her long-standing efforts to improve the mental health system in Colorado, I believe that she is an outstanding candidate for this distinguished award,” said John Mahalik, a Colorado Psychological Association board member.

Keller, who also won the 2007 CPA State Legislator of the Year award, made it clear she isn’t resting on her laurels.

“Even though we have made a lot of progress in Colorado, there is still a lot of work to be done,” the senator said. “I would like to expand community-based mental health treatment for individuals and their families and implement a triage program to handle mentally ill taken to hospital emergency rooms.”