In a perfect world, every state in America would have a dedicated leader focused on mental health. Unfortunately, this often amounts to nothing more than wishful thinking. In the eyes of state leaders, such a role is just too unfamiliar, or too much to ask for. Sure, we have people who oversee mental-health programs in […]
Benjamin F. Miller
Special to The Colorado Sun
Twitter: @miller7
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: The mental-health emergency facing Colorado’s children demands an emergency response
Children’s Hospital Colorado declared a “pediatric mental health ‘state of emergency’” last month, as the system now routinely runs out of beds for kids who’ve attempted suicide or presented with intense mental health needs. While this is a crisis, it’s the result of one that was burning long before COVID-19. The stresses and isolation of […]
Posted inCOVID, Opinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Let’s overwhelm this coronavirus crisis with creativity and compassion
As the reality of life with the COVID-19 pandemic begins to set in, we are confronted with a mounting number of questions and a frustrating scarcity of answers. These questions go far beyond the effects on physical health from the virus itself. How can we make ends meet if we can’t go to work? What […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Let’s let Colorado be a leader for mental health
Colorado, like many states, is experiencing a mental health crisis. This crisis did not happen overnight. Our culture has long separated mind and body, disconnecting mental health from physical health. Disconnection kills. We are dying sooner and more often; more of us died last year from drug, alcohol and suicide than ever before, 150,000 Americans, […]