During the 1970’s, Mental Health Colorado was at the forefront of advocacy for comprehensive mental health services for Coloradans. MHC played a crucial role in the passage of legislation in 1975, making mental health coverage mandatory in group insurance policies, ensuring wider access to vital services. Additionally, in 1976, MHC worked diligently to restore fundamental rights to individuals committed to state mental hospitals, advocating for legal rights and producing a handbook outlining patient rights.
Throughout the 1980s, Mental Health Colorado expanded its reach with innovative programs to support Colorado’s youth and underserved populations. In 1981, MHC began an Early Intervention Program (EIP) to educate daycare providers, preschool and early elementary school teachers about emotional difficulties in children. In 1982, MHC established the TEANS (Teach Early Adolescents New Skills) program which taught 14,000 Denver area adolescents stress management techniques, guidance on how to handle peer pressure, and problem-solving skills.
In 1986, MHC developed its signature community program: the Pro Bono Counseling & Referral Program which operated for more than 30 years. This program recruited mental health professionals to provide free mental health services to homeless and low-income adults, children, and families. The first of its kind in the nation, the Pro Bono Counseling & Referral Program became a nationally recognized model program. In October 1989, the program was also selected from over 100 entries nationwide to receive an award from the 41st Institute of Hospital and Community Psychiatry of the American Psychiatric Association.
|
