People for a Healthier Larimer County launches ballot issue website

A new website, www.larimerbehavioralhealth.com, has been launched by the Citizens Advisory Board supporting a Detox/Mental Facility and Services issue on the November 2016 ballot.

The site provides information about the proposed ballot issue, gives visitors information on how they can support the measure through volunteering and other activities, and offers a subscription option for updates and an opportunity for making a donation.

Advisory board co-chairs Cheryl Olson and Peggy Reeves continue to give presentations on the issue to interested groups. “Detox/Mental Health Facility and Services are a great investment in our community’s continuing health,” says Olson. Reeves echoes this sentiment, “With one in four people in Larimer County experiencing mental health or substance abuse issues, people we talk with seem to understand how important this center is.”

The board, known as People for a Healthier Larimer County, wants residents to be able to get the help they need in their communities. The proposed facility will provide a continuum of care from detox to assessment to treatment. All too often people in crisis end up in jail, the emergency room, or at Greeley’s detox facility.

The Board of Larimer County Commissioners will vote Aug. 2 to officially refer the issue to the November ballot. The ballot will ask for a sales tax of 25 cents on $100 to build the facility. The estimated cost of construction is $20 million. Once built, the annual operating budget is expected to be $16 million, which includes revenues of $4 million from Medicare and Medicaid.

People for a Healthier Larimer County can be reached at info@larimerbehavioralhealth.com.