Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera is co-chairing a national task force charged with developing policies to support the mental health of workers and address behavioral health workforce shortages. 

Primavera convened the State Exchange on Employment and Disability’s (SEED) bipartisan National Task Force on Workforce Mental Health Policy last week, along with Martin Walsh, secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. 

“I’m excited to participate in SEED’s National Mental Health Taskforce to continue the vital work of improving employment opportunities for the many people that are impacted by behavioral health challenges everyday,” Primavera said. “I look forward to sharing Colorado’s success stories nationally and finding new opportunities to make improvements in our state and across our country.”

She added: “Having worked to help people with disabilities secure employment early in my career and having seen the impacts of mental illness on those close to me, I know just how important this work is.” 

In addition to Primavera, the task force includes behavioral health experts, governors and state legislators from across the country – including Colorado State Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Aurora. 

The task force will work with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy to develop evidence-based policies addressing the following areas:

• Nondiscrimination, parity and mental health benefits
• Workplace care and supports
• Underserved racial, ethnic and rural communities
• Behavioral health workforce shortages, state support and crisis services systems 

The task force is scheduled to convene over the next six months.