Bills to Support Colorado Veterans, Enhance Access to Mental Health Care Pass Senate!

DENVER, CO – Today, the Senate approved several bills that aim to support Colorado’s veterans as well as enhance access to critical mental health support across the state:

SB21-129: Veteran Suicide Prevention Pilot Program, sponsored by Senate President Leroy Garcia. This bill would require the Colorado Department of Human Services to establish a veteran suicide prevention pilot program to help reduce the rate of suicide and suicidal ideation among veterans. 

HB21-1116: Purple Heart Recipient Free State Park Access, sponsored by Senate President Leroy Garcia. This bill would allow Colorado Residents who display a purple heart special license plate or have the documentation necessary to obtain a purple heart special license plate, entrance to any state park or recreation area on any day of the year when they are open. 

"Colorado's veterans have made huge sacrifices to protect our way of life. As a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Iraq war, I am dedicated to making sure that we honor those sacrifices. That is why I am proud to see these bills pass through the Senate," said Senate President Leroy Garcia. D-Pueblo.  "This legislation prioritizes the unique mental health needs of our military community in order to prevent veteran suicide as well as allow any purple heart recipient to enjoy all of Colorado's state parks, free of charge. Both of these bills help Colorado veterans enjoy the way of life they fought to protect."

SB21-154: 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network, sponsored by Senator Chris Kolker. This bill would implement 988 as the 3-digit number for crisis response services in Colorado – ensuring a simple, memorable access point for critical mental health care.

“The mental health crisis was prevalent far before the pandemic, but has worsened as suicide rates continue to skyrocket,” said Senator Chris Kolker, D-Centennial. “We are in incredibly trying times and I can wholeheartedly resonate with the many Coloradans whose mental health has suffered as a result, but thankfully there are things we can do right now to help people and save lives. Creating a memorable, 3-digit crisis response number  is a transformative step that will put mental health on par with other emergency services – getting people the help they need when they need it most.” 

SB21-239: 2-1-1 Statewide Human Services Referral System, sponsored by Senator Chris Kolker & Senator Rachel Zenzinger. This bill would expand the necessary human referral services authorized by the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative to include referrals for behavioral health services and other resources in the state. 

“It is extremely challenging for Coloradans to access mental health care throughout our state, resulting in a significant portion of people who have a mental health condition going untreated. This is simply unacceptable,” said Senator Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “By expanding services offered through our 211 human services line, we can connect more Coloradans to vital mental health services and make it easier for them to access the critical treatment they need and deserve – a particularly important initiative as we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month.” 

These bills now move to the House for further consideration. Track the progress of the legislation by visiting leg.colorado.gov.