Pettersen Statement on Colorado's Record-breaking Overdose Death Toll

Colorado is on track to surpass its record-breaking overdose death toll from 2020, with fentanyl continuing to play a larger role in the overdose crisis

DENVER, CO — Senator Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood), Chair of the state’s Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force, today released a statement following news that Colorado is on track to surpass its record-breaking death toll from 2020, according to state data:

“One overdose death in our state is too many, but we are seeing nearly five Coloradans die from this disease every single day. As the daughter of someone with a substance use disorder, I know the pain and anguish families feel when a loved one is struggling with this condition and are unable to get them the help they need.

"I’m proud of the work we have done to increase access to the life-saving treatment people desperately need, but our work is far from over. My colleagues and I have been serving on the state’s Behavioral Health Task Force to improve access to behavioral health services and ensure that mental health and substance use disorder care is available to everyone who is ready to get help, and to families who are fighting to save their loved one.

“We have a long road ahead of us, but I remain committed as ever to ending the stigma surrounding substance use disorders, and will continue fighting to create an accessible and equitable behavioral health care system that allows all Coloradans to get the vital care they need and deserve.”

Senator Pettersen has played a leading role in the legislature to expand access to mental health resources as chair of the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force, which was established through the Behavioral Health Recovery Act and signed into law in June. The new law allocated $550 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal stimulus funds to help address substance use disorders and other behavioral health prevention and treatment needs throughout the state.

During the 2021 legislative session, the legislature allocated $100 million of the funds to address emergency behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment needs exacerbated by the pandemic over the coming fiscal year, and priorities for the remaining $450 million are being developed by the Task Force along with behavioral health experts from across the state ahead of next year's legislative session.