mental health
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Colorado governor signs new regulations on AI chatbots for minors
Colorado will impose restrictions on AI chatbots used by minors after Gov. Jared Polis on Friday signed a bill requiring developers to disclose when kids are talking to a machine and block features that can mimic intimacy or encourage addictive engagement. House Bill 1263 will require AI developers to disclose to minor users that they…
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Colorado candidates for governor share plans to tackle youth mental health crisis
Three candidates for Colorado’s highest elected office laid out their plans to address the state’s youth mental health crisis during a forum on Thursday. Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, and Republican State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer fielded questions about expanding access to mental health care for children, addressing the workforce shortage, and…
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Colorado advocates unveil youth mental-health ‘playbook’ for next governor
Colorado youth‑mental‑health advocates have released a new “playbook,” urging the next governor to streamline the state’s sprawling system of services and appoint a single leader to oversee them. In addition to hosting a gubernatorial candidate forum on Thursday, Mind Our Future Colorado released the playbook, which includes recommendations for how the state’s next leader can…
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Colorado lawmakers eye 5% ‘fee’ on online gaming ‘skins,’ other game features
Colorado lawmakers are seeking to impose a new fee on online game purchases, in particular targeting “add-on transactions,” referring to features or enhancements that players can buy. Sponsors said they want to earmark the new revenue toward youth mental health services. The sponsors are pushing the new revenue source amid a budget deficit and at…
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Ex‑Bronco Montee Ball backs push at Colorado Capitol for stronger concussion protocols
Amid rising worries about the long‑term effects of head injuries in youth sports, a Colorado committee began reviewing legislation that would tighten concussion protocols and expand mental health awareness among coaches. Senate Bill 060 would require youth sports coaches to complete training on the mental health impacts of concussions. It would also require them to…
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City of Northglenn, state fail to reach agreement on mental health facility amid safety concerns
The City of Northglenn said it was unable to reach an agreement with the state on a pair of transitional living facilities for individuals with mental health conditions run by the Colorado Department of Human Services. The facilities, located across from a public housing project and an industrial events center, are intended for patients who…
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Colorado lawmakers approve $150,000 ibogaine study bill targeting PTSD and addiction
The Colorado House Health and Human Services Committee advanced a bill that would create a $150,000 research pilot program to study the safety and effectiveness of ibogaine, a psychoactive compound that claims to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, opioid addiction, and other mental health conditions. The bill ultimately passed on a 12-1 committee vote, with Rep.…
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Proposal to levy new fees on alcohol products in Colorado dies
The proposal to collect millions in new fees on alcohol products — dollars to be earmarked for Colorado programs aimed at addressing the behavioral and physical health effects of alcohol abuse — died on Tuesday. House Bill 1271 sought to create three separate “enterprises” and establish fees of $0.05 per gallon of beer and cider,…
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Colorado justices, 4-3, order new murder trial due to wrongfully excluded evidence
The Colorado Supreme Court agreed on Monday that a trial judge incorrectly faulted a defendant for refusing to cooperate in a mental health examination, even though the state’s hospital was the entity that botched its responsibility to evaluate her during the windows where she was competent. However, by 4-3, the justices concluded that the judge…
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Colorado committee recommends rejecting alcohol, marijuana tax hike to fund mental health care
In a rare move, Colorado’s Capital Development Committee unanimously recommended that another legislative committee reject a bill asking voters to approve higher excise taxes on alcohol and marijuana to fund a new mental health hospital in Aurora. Sponsored by Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, and Sen. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, House Bill 1301 proposes that all…