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

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

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

The Effect of Treatment for Anxiety/Depression on Healthcare Costs of Patients with Chronic Medical Conditions

Read this brief written by Steve Melek, Consulting Actuary of Milliman, Inc., discussing their current research of concurrent physical and mental illness and the relevance of integrated physical and mental health care. 

The Effect of Treatment for Anxiety

On Friday, July 25, the Colorado Public Radio show, Colorado Matters, aired a piece discussing how area counties are working to reduce the amount of mentally ill individuals in the jail system.  " A Metro Denver Task Force finds reducing the numbers of mentally ill in jail could cut the jail population in half - and save money. Host Ryan Warner speaks with the task force co-chairs: Paul Siska, Undersheriff for Adams County and Rick Doucet, the Executive Director of the Community Reach Center—also in Adams County." - Colorado Matters.

Visit our Media Releases Section.

Click here to read the recent article from the Denver Post discussing the national UPenn Collaborative on Community Integration, and an effort to decrease existing stigma concerning mental health issues. 

CBHC Director of Public Policy, Doyle Forrestal, was recently interviewed on Colorado Matters radio program.  Visit our Media Releases Section.

An article from the Loveland Reporter-Herald describing the merger of the Island Grove Regional Treatment Center services in Larimer County with Larimer Center for Mental Health and the Island Grove Treatment Center Services in Weld County North Range Behavioral Health.  Read the article here.

Arnold Salazar, Executive Director of Colorado Health Partnerships, LLC, has been appointed to the  Centennial Care Choices Program Panel.  In the 2008 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 217 created the Centennial Care Choices Program to reform Colorado’s health care system.  This Governor-appointed Panel will work with individuals from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and the Division of Insurance to look for options to reduce the state’s uninsured population and improve access to affordable healthcare.  To view the Governor’s Executive Order and the complete list of appointees, click here.  CBHC will post updates as we learn more. 

Approximately two million Americans live with schizophrenia. Two-thirds do not receive treatment, even though the disease can be managed successfully.

The survey found the average age at onset was 21, but a nine-year gap exists between symptoms and treatment.

The report is available at www.nami.org/schizophreniasurvey. It is based on an on-line survey conducted by Harris Interactive among the general public, caregivers and individuals living with schizophrenia.

Click the link below to read the full press release.