Improving Mental Health Resources for Coloradans

HB1017 adds Colorado to the list of states in which psychologists can practice tele-health and temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries. The purpose of this is to increase access to mental health services, especially in rural areas, and to ensure psychologists and their clients are able to maintain continuity of care despite being temporarily or permanently outside the state boundaries. It will be heard in Senate Finance Committee today.

Similar to a bill I ran in the senate last year, HB1177 lowers the age of consent for talk therapy to 12. In addition, it establishes training on suicide prevention for those who frequently interact with young people, such as camp counselors, and directs the Department of Health to start a suicide prevention awareness campaign, especially emphasizing the available hotline. It is currently making its way through the House and I hope to get it through the Senate this year.

Coming up this Monday in my committee, two gun bills will be heard. SB51, introduced by Sen Merrifield (D-Manitou Springs), responds to the mass shooting in Vegas by banning the sale and use of bump stocks in Colorado. On the other end of the spectrum, Sen Hill’s (R-Colorado Springs) SB52, repeals the state’s existing ammunition magazine limits. Democrats initially put this law on the books in 2013 after the Aurora theater shooting as a way to reduce the deadly impact that assault weapons have in our society. With high-profile mass shootings seemingly becoming a constant in our country, the rollback of current legislation that protects public safety is not the right move. I will be a YES vote on SB51 and a NO vote on SB52.