State lawmakers are back in session, and one of the issues they’ll tackle is Gov. John Hickenlooper’s plan to improve mental health care in Colorado. That $18 million package is a reaction to the Aurora theater shooting, and comes on the heels of Sandy Hook. If the legislature funds the plan, the money will pay for a number of initiatives, from adding more beds for psychiatric patients, to creating round-the-clock crisis centers. CPR’s Elaine Grant spoke with the man responsible for making this happen. Reggie Bicha is executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services.
[Photo of CO Mental Health Inst.: Glen Asakawa, Denver Post]
