Press Room

Senator Newell Honored as Champion for Mental Health Today

Friday, May 11 2012

DENVER ─ Today Senator Linda Newell (D-Denver) was honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network at the 11th Annual Mental Health Benefit Luncheon. Senator Newell received the award for her tireless efforts at the State Capitol to address mental health issues, combat substance abuse, and work to support suicide prevention. May is mental health month in Colorado, and one in five American families are effected by some mental illness each year.

Senator Newell offered the following comment on her award today:

“Every person in this state is somehow touched by mental or behavioral health unmet needs ─ from prison inmates to struggling students to our own relatives who just don't want to talk about it. I'm so grateful to receive this distinction from the Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health professionals who are working every day in prevention and intervention of those needs. I, too, will continue to work hard at the Capitol and in my community to search for resources for this vulnerable population among us.”

Senator Newell has been a champion for mental health issues throughout her career. This session she sponsored House Bill 1140 to ensure that the family and friends of people who have attempted suicide receive vital information about suicide risk factors and treatment options when leaving the hospital to prevent future tragedies. The Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network is a private, nonprofit mental health provider that has been providing a wide variety of services for more than 55 years.