The Board of Larimer County Commissioners will decide on Aug. 2 whether to put a Detox/Mental Facility and Services issue on the November ballot for Larimer County voters. Supporters are encouraged to attend the 9 a.m. meeting at the County Courthouse Offices Building, 200 West Oak St., 1st floor Hearing Room, Fort Collins. A website, www.larimerbehavioralhealth.com was launched for the issue by a volunteer Advisory Board, People for Healthier Larimer County, earlier this summer.
Mental illness and/or substance abuse are serious health issues for 1 in 4 people in Larimer County. People in crisis end up in the emergency room, the jail, or in Greeley’s public detox facility. Larimer County residents need a public facility to get through a crisis, and to get the continuum of care a treatment facility will provide. Mental illness and substance use disorders are treatable health conditions.
To address this gap in services, People for a Healthier Larimer County have been working with Larimer County on a ballot issue for November. The proposal calls for a sales tax of 25₵ on $100 for 25 years. The tax, if approved, begins Jan. 1, 2017. The money collected will be used to build, improve, maintain, and operate a treatment and detox facility for mental health, alcohol and drug abuse with associated support services. The facility, with an estimated cost of $20-million for construction, will be conveniently located in Larimer County. Once built, the annual operating budget is expected to be $16 million dollars, which includes revenues of $4 million from Medicare and Medicaid.
Ensuring people will have access to the help they need is a great investment in our communities! Please like ‘People for a Healthier Larimer County’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Visit the website at www.larimerbehavioralhealth.com for more information about the facility and to get involved. People for a Healthier Larimer County can be reached at [email protected].
Support Northern Colorado Journalism
Show your support for North Forty News by helping us produce more content. It's a kind and simple gesture that will help us continue to bring more content to you.
BONUS - Donors get a link in their receipt to sign up for our once-per-week instant text messaging alert. Get your e-copy of North Forty News the moment it is released!
Click to Donate