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. 

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

Congress overwhelmingly supported a new Medicare bill that includes the elimination of discriminatory mental health copays.  Read the Press Release from The National Council. 

Learn all about H.R. 6331: Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008

"Today, President Bush signed the Iraq war supplemental appropriations bill into law. This legislation includes a one-year delay in the implementation of six of seven recent Medicaid regulations - including both case management and the rehabilitative service option. Thank you to all National Council members who contacted your Senators and Representatives to urge them to vote to preserve Medicaid. Your calls and e-mails have made a difference!"  Chuck Ingoglia, MSW
Vice President, Public Policy 

Click here to learn more or check out Issues section under Legislative Updates.

Call Your Senators Today to Urge Support for Legislation to Expand Mental Health Care Access for Veterans Through Partnerships With Community Providers!

Executive Summary: Last week, the House passed legislation (HR 2874) to improve mental health services for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The National Council urges all members to take advantage of this momentum and contact their Senators to ask them to become co-sponsors of the Veterans Mental Health Outreach and Access Act (S 38) and to thank those who have already signed on as co-sponsors.

Action Needed:

The National Council urges all members to contact their Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the Veterans Mental Health Outreach and Access Act (S 38) or to thank those who have already become co-sponsors.  In addition, we encourage you to raise this issue with your members of Congress when they are at home in the district during the August recess.

You can reach all Congressional offices by calling the Capitol Switchboard. Call 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected with the office you want.

Members of Congress return home to their district for the August recess - August 6 - 31 for the House and August 6 - September 3 for the Senate – this week. The National Council encourages all members to invite their members of Congress to visit your agency during the August recess period.

A flyer, available on the National Council’s website, provides information about how to schedule and prepare for your visits. The National Council urges you to work with your local NAMI chapter in preparing for these visits as well. National Council staff are also available to assist you in your efforts. If you have any questions about the process or the request, please contact Allison Fort at 301.984.6200, ext. 235 or allisonf@nccbh.org.

What should you say?

I am calling to urge the Senator/Representative to become a co-sponsor of the Veterans Mental Health Outreach and Access Act.

Please let the National Council know if you contact a member of the Senate on this issue. Contact Allison Fort at allisonf@nccbh.org to let us know you participated and share the response you received. Thank you!

After learning that they were $17 million over budget for FY 07/08, the JBC voted unanimously to cut provider rates from 2% to 1.5%.  This is an overall loss of $179,448 total for all of the mental health contracts.