INSIGHTS | Colorado usually leads the pack
"State Rep. Leslie Herod, a Democrat from Denver, led the passage of a city sales tax for mental health and drug addiction services in November. She will carry a bill next session to allow Denver and others in Colorado that could quality to set up a pilot program, to see if the injection sites save lives and get more people into treatment." "Politics have to go to where the people are," she said, "and most people in Colorado aren't on the extreme right or left." Read full art
New Denver tax money to expand “privatization” model that’s been problematic for city
"The city will start collecting the new sales taxes on Jan. 1, but the nonprofits won’t be ready for some time." “We’ll have to put together the administrative side — a director, community engagement, outreach, finding out what the gaps are,” said state Rep. Leslie Herod, who spearheaded the Caring 4 Denver campaign for mental health funding." “It’s going to start with a community engagement process — and figuring out how we can move the needle on these issues.” "She acknowle
Why Denver Voted to Fund Mental-Health Treatment
"A year after Colorado saw a record 1,175 suicides and an all-time high number of drug overdoses, according to the Colorado Health Institute, Denver voters decided to take matters into their own hands. On Election Day, the city passed a .25 percent sales tax (or 25 cents on a $100 purchase) under the Caring 4 Denver initiative, raising a new stream of money to treat mental health and addiction. It’s meant to take the response out of the hands of police and jails and focus on
Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 letters: gun violence, youth mental health, immigration, politics
"Denver recently voted to increase a sales tax for mental health initiatives. The overwhelming support of this ballot initiative is a marker of how many lives are affected by mental health. I don’t need to convince you of that. However, when thinking about the allocation of this funding, I ask that we not forget about Colorado’s youth." "As a pediatrician, every day I see the impact of mental health on our children, whether it is the intentional overdose in the emergency depa
What’s next after Denver passes tax increase for mental health funding
"DENVER -- Election night was more than just about candidates and political parties. It was also about issues." "In Denver, voters approved a .25 percent tax increase to generate $45 million for mental health funding annually." "So what happens next?" "This will be the largest mental health funding stream that Denver has ever seen," State Rep. Leslie Herod (D-Denver) said. Herod helped run the campaign to get it passed." "Herod says first up will be the creation of a non prof
Denver ballot issues: Voters approve new taxes for mental health, parks and more
"Approving multiple ballot measures Tuesday, Denver voters cleared the way for sales and property tax increases to raise funds for parks, mental health services and other initiatives." "Among the winning measures was an initiative to raise money for parks. The measure passed 61.32 percent to 38.68 percent." "The measure proposed increasing the cost of goods and services by 0.25 percent, or the equivalent of 25 cents per $100. It will provide more than $45 million per year for
Denver is closer to being among the first U.S. cities to set up a supervised drug use site
"So the question is where people go after using safely to get long-term help. The answer, for some, will be nowhere. They may repeat the cycle of using to avoid withdrawal, but better in the presence of people who can save their lives than in a bathroom somewhere, Raville said." "A measure known as “Caring for Denver” passed Tuesday to fund mental health. That gives Brooks confidence despite the lack of services." “While that’s an issue, there’s a lot of hope that I’m being g
Denver ballot issues: Taxes for mental health, parks among leading measures
"Denver ballot measures that will raise taxes to increase funds for parks and mental health services were headed toward easy victory Tuesday night." "As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, a proposal to raise money for parks was up 61.23 percent to 38.77 percent in early returns. So far, more than 145,744 total votes have been tallied for the proposal." "The measure proposed increasing the cost of goods and services by 0.25 percent, or the equivalent of 25 cents per $100. If approved, the me
Denver Ballot Issue Election Results 2018: Almost Everything Wins
"The two most prominent of the proposals were Referred Measure 2A and Initiated Ordinance 301." "Referred Measure 2A, whose chief proponent was Denver City Council President Jolon Clark, called for a .25 percent sales tax on everything other than groceries and prescription drugs, with the proceeds earmarked to acquire and improve parks. It collected more than 60 percent of the vote." "Initiated Ordinance 301, put forward by Representative Leslie Herod, also asked for a .25 pe
DPD’S CO-RESPONDER UNIT HOPES TO GET A BOOST FROM CARING 4 DENVER
"Tuesday, November 6, is fast approaching, and Denver residents are now voting on various state- and citywide ballot initiatives. One such initiative is Caring 4 Denver." "Created by Representative Leslie Herod and endorsed by influential Coloradans like Wilma Webb and Cynthia Coffman, the initiative would raise Denver’s sales tax by .25 percent to bolster the city’s mental health resources and substance abuse treatment programs. If the initiative passes, 10 percent of the re
