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The Public Policy & Systems Advocacy program works to increase access to quality mental health treatment in both the public and private sector. Community-based systems of care and early intervention are emphasized. MHAC advocates on a policy, systems and individual level on behalf of consumers, families, and providers, as appropriate. Legislative Education Day and the Mental Health/Substance Abuse Summit are key program events. Please visit our Public Policy and Advocacy Page for more information or contact: Education & Health FairsMHAC's education program teaches the public, professionals, and businesses about mental disorders and mental health treatment through health fairs, media campaigns, speakers bureau and resource distribution. During the year we receive several requests to participate in school, community, or corporate fairs. For elementary school students we focus on feelings and how to use them appropriately, middle school students receive information on bullying and high school students are educated on positive and negative stressors that affect their life. Health fairs allow us to educate the community on mental disorders and help spread the word that mental disorders are real, common and treatable. For more information or to request our attendance at your upcoming fair please contact: Outreach and Access Services program coordinates free mental health services for low-income and homeless populations at community host sites. The community host sites are agencies that either have limited, or no, mental health resources for their clients. Outreach and Access Services coordinates the donated services of licensed mental health professionals and Masters and PhD-level candidates for licensure. Mental health servcices include, but are not limited to individual, family, and/or group counseling, consultation with agency clients and staffs, and supervision of candidates for licensure.
Outreach and Access Services Program Host Sites
For more information about the Pro Bono Mental Health Program or
MHAC's Speakers Bureau program provides the community with free speaking events to educate and raise awareness of mental disorders. Topics cover mental health issues in children, adolescents/teenagers, adults and older adults. Our volunteers provide information on mental illness and mental wellness to all audiences. Unique to this program is our consumer volunteers who discuss what it is like to live with a mental disorder and the stigma society places on mental health. Their stories can be inspirational and enlightening to audiences open to hearing subjective accounts of what it feels like to deal with, and recover from, emotional and psychological disorders. These volunteers bring valuable insight to the mysterious world of mental disorders. Our volunteers are frequently requested to speak for church groups, non-profit agencies, parents, community based human service organizations, schools, etc. The audiences range from school aged children to senior citizens, from consumers to mental health professionals. Our services are available to any group looking for a speaker. Volunteers are willing to present throughout the day including staff meetings, over lunch, or after work. Through the use of our speakers, you are joining us in our mission of educating the community about mental health issues that touch lives. View a list of Speakers Bureau Topics For more information, to become a Speakers Bureau volunteer or to request a Speakers Bureau presentation for your organization, please contact:
Speakers Bureau Topic List Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Addictions Biofeedback Bipolar Disorders Bully Proofing Children/Adolescents Child Sexual Abuse Depression Divorce Domestic Violence Eating Disorders Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues Grief Living with a Chronic Illness Mental Health and Wellness Mediation Parenting Psychotherapy Relationship & Family Issues Schizophrenia Stress Management Substance Abuse Suicide Trauma Women’s Issues Work Related Issues back to Speakers Bureau information Volunteering for the Speakers Bureau
Triage Project - Community Crisis Intervention Mental Health America of Colorado is the lead agency in facilitating creation of a crisis service system for people seeking urgent psychiatric care. The proposed crisis system will service all of Metro Denver and will be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Currently, no such system of care exists in the metro region. The need for such a system is driven by the escalating number of people in crisis who seek psychiatric services at local hospital emergency rooms. The goal of these community-based crisis intervention services will be to safely and effectively stabilize people experiencing mental health and/or substance abuse emergencies and efficiently link them to appropriate follow-up care and services.Research and planning are being guided by the Metro Denver Crisis Triage Steering Committee, a multi-disciplinary group representing hospitals, mental health and substance abuse providers, advocacy, public policy, criminal justice and EMS/transportation leaders and the First Lady of Colorado, Mrs. Jeannie Ritter. Heather Cameron, Triage Project Director
Campaign for America’s Mental Health Provides public education on the symptoms of and treatments for depression and anxiety. Please check our calendar for educational events near you. Family Nexus is a collaborative plan, funded by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice Office of Juvenile Justice, and developed by Mental Health America of Colorado, the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health—Colorado Chapter, and The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill—Colorado to address youth with co-occurring mental disorders and substance abuse issues who are, or are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. The collaboration will work together on a plan to better educate and empower families who have children with mental disorders who are involved, or at risk of being involved in the juvenile justice system; and to increase awareness and understanding in communities and local agencies involved with these children.
Family NEXUS Enriched Support Group Curriculum is available online. For more information on Family Nexus please call 720-208-2220
Preventing Suicide in Colorado Initiative What began as a study over two years ago has evolved into a unique statewide suicide prevention project reaching over half the counties in Colorado. Mental Health America of Colorado (MHAC) and the Center for Public-Private Sector Cooperation at the University of Colorado at Denver (The Center) serve as the Coordinating Agency for The Colorado Trust’s Preventing Suicide in Colorado Initiative. The goal of the three year, $2.55 million initiative is to address the devastating problem of suicide in Colorado. Currently, Colorado ranks 5 th in the nation for suicide rates. The initiative comes in response to Suicide in Colorado, a comprehensive report (which can be found at www.coloradotrust.org) released in February 2002 by The Colorado Trust that identifies existing suicide-prevention resources and gaps to be addressed statewide. The initiative is the only statewide suicide-prevention effort supported by a foundation in the U.S. The initiative began in 2003 with a competitive process that chose ten community organization grantees (listed below) from more than 50 applicants. The grantees, serving 32 Colorado counties, will use the grants to support new, improved or expanded suicide prevention programs designed to best meet the needs of their communities. The Coordinating Agency facilitated a strategic planning process with the ten grantees that began last fall and will wrap-up in April 2004. Passionate, dedicated community stakeholders from each of the ten grantee communities participated, some traveling long distances from neighboring counties. Their commitment to the process and to the issues of suicide prevention has been extraordinary! And the diversity of the stakeholders has been key – we’ve had coroners, sheriffs, police, school teachers and administrators, bankers, social services, clergy, district attorneys, victim advocates, hospitals, mental health professionals, survivors of suicide, youth and journalists to name a few! After the strategic planning process, grantees will begin program implementation. Programs will have components that address education/awareness, screening, risk assessment, referral, treatment services, follow-up or postvention. MHAC and The Centers will continue working with the grantees, reviewing program progress and providing various technical assistance to ensure the success of the project. The Preventing Suicide in Colorado Initiative will encourage people at risk of attempting suicide to seek care, improve the care at-risk individuals receive, and promote policies that help to reduce the alarmingly high risk of suicide in Colorado.
For more information on the Preventing Suicide in Colorado Initiative call 720-208-2220.
Copyright © 2004-2008 Mental Health America of Colorado
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