At the Colorado State Capitol on Wednesday, January 29, members of the state legislature unveiled HB20-1086 that will require Colorado insurance plans to offer an annual mental health exam for free—just like a physical.
According to bill co-sponsor Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet, “HB20-1086 is going to bring Colorado to true parity in healthcare. We have been handling mental health on a crisis-only basis. Think about if your doctor noticed you had high blood pressure and suggested you come back after you have a heart attack. That’s our current behavioral health model. This bill will upend that model and bring us to a preventative care model for all.”
Co-sponsoring the bill is Representative Colin Larson from Littleton. According to Larson, “Establishing an annual mental health check-up will help to tackle the mental health crisis plaguing our state by de-stigmatizing mental health issues. I am confident this bill will save countless lives and resources by getting people appropriate and cost-effective care early, avoiding more costly interventions later on.”
This bill is of particular interest to leaders in the behavioral health field committed to working with the queer community. Extensive research indicates that members of the LGBTQ community often face one of the highest levels of health disparities, especially when it comes to mental health. The community is at a higher risk for substance use, bullying, isolation, rejection, anxiety, depression, and suicide as compared to non-LGBTQ individuals.
“Mental healthcare is just as important as physical healthcare,” said Daniel Ramos, executive director of One Colorado. “Last year, One Colorado published its report on LGBTQ Health disparities, Closing the Gap: The Turning Point for LGBTQ Health. Through this research, we learned that LGBTQ Coloradans experience anxiety and depression at a rate about three times higher than their non-LGBTQ peers. Along with a bill last year that lowered the age for young people to access mental health services (HB19-1120), this bill will increase access and lower costs—two key barriers that keep LGBTQ people from receiving proper healthcare. We want to thank Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet for her work on breaking down these barriers.”
Steven Haden, co-founder of Envision:You, a statewide initiative aimed at improving behavioral health outcomes in the LGBTQ+ community, had this to say about HB20-1068: “Envision:You strongly supports this important, common-sense legislation. We believe that annual mental wellness exams will lead to early interventions, increase access to care for more people, and reduce the distressing outcomes faced by so many people in our community while easing associated stigma in seeking help.”
If you are someone you know is struggling, please call 844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255. To learn more about the mental health supports available to Colorado’s queer community visit envision-you.org and click on resources.
