Voters across Colorado are deciding the fate of at least a dozen local ballot measures seeking funding for better mental health care services.
The questions range from tax increases to local budget shuffling 鈥� all aimed at building up prevention and treatment services in schools, jails and hospitals.
Andrew Romanoff is president of Mental Health Colorado. He spoke at a Fort Collins event in support of Larimer County鈥檚 sales tax question, Issue 1A, on Oct. 30. He says the topic is resonating for many people.
鈥淚 think what's happening is a lot of communities recognize that it's cheaper to prevent or treat mental illness than to ignore it or to criminalize it,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 lot recognize that waiting for Washington to solve these problems is not a recipe for progress.鈥�
The Colorado Secretary of State鈥檚 office says more than 600,000 people have already turned in ballots ahead of next week鈥檚 election.
Counties with mental health related ballot questions this year