Focus on Behavioral Health Equity

Karen McNeil-Miller

The Colorado Health Symposium convened more than 600 public, physical and mental health professionals and clinicians, community activists and philanthropic leaders to discuss innovative approaches to addressing a myriad of behavioral health issues in Colorado's diverse communities.

Over the last two-and-a-half days, I had the honor of being part of the social media cohort for the 2018 symposium. Helping to amplify the critical conversations at #18CHS through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook has been a truly rewarding experience. The Colorado Health Foundation President and CEO Karen McNeil-Miller and her board leadership continues their commitment to advancing statewide discussions about prioritizing health equity

Issues and concerns that are shared by both urban and rural communities were addressed, such as early childhood and adolescent services, strengthening family and community supports, substance use interventions, and addressing social determinants of health. Many speakers discussed the confluence of societal factors that impact mental health disparities and outcomes. There was much discussion about the need to preserve -- as well as grow -- access to the health care safety net in Colorado that was made possible by Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act. Many solutions are anchored in policy, with intentionality toward health access and health equity.

I'll have more to share about conference proceedings, but in the meantime, here are select video archives of presentations and panel discussions that featured diverse voices in our community,

Comilla Sasson, MD, shares her journey from surviving a difficult childhood marred with domestic violence, bullying, depression and anxiety to discovering her life purpose of becoming a healer.

CHF Board President Jerome Davis talked about stories that he heard from communities across Colorado, and how the listening tour has served to sharpen the Foundation's resolve to focus on behavioral health inequities that impact the lives of Coloradans.

Medicine Wheel for the Planet

Jennifer Grenz, PhD Working toward ecological healing requires awareness of how Indigenous ancestral knowledge and living ways can complement Western scientific approaches to environmental restoration and protection practices. Dr. Jennifer Grenz (Nlaxa’pamux mixed ancestry) worked for more than two decades as a field researcher and practitioner for environmental nonprofit organizations, where she worked with different levels of government, including First Nations in Canada. "Medicine Wheel for the Planet" compiles Grenz’s most potent realizations about the lack of forward movement in addressing an impending ecological catastrophe. A warming climate impacts not only human lives but also the natural balance that relies on reciprocal relationships rooted in deep connections to the land. She uses the metaphor of the four directions of the Indigenous “medicine wheel” to invite openness to Indigenous teachings, letting go of colonial narratives, merging lessons f...

Memento - Embracing the Darkness

Dennis "Dizzy" Doan Stories about overcoming and persevering through family dysfunction, poverty, and mental health challenges offer hope and the promise of better days. Dennis “Dizzy” Doan’s memoir Memento: Embracing the Darkness is one such story, with the added complexity of being raised in an immigrant Vietnamese family. Doan’s parents dealt with the mental and emotional aftermath of war, which forcibly uprooted them from their homeland. In the United States, they struggled to create a safe and stable life for their two sons. Doan shares his journey of finding himself, his craft, and eventually a successful tattoo business in Southern California despite personal strife and run-ins with the law. Doan is best known for developing the aesthetic language to combat anti-Asian hate that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. His art series titled “Model Minority” went viral, sparking conversation about Asian American identities and harmful stereotypes. In Memento, Doan showcase...

Enlighten Me

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Los Angeles Book Review . Author Minh Lê Standing up for oneself seems like doing the right thing. Binh did just that in the face of a racist school bully who was poking fun at his Asian heritage. But physically assaulting another student goes against school policy, and it was Binh who got in trouble. Binh shares a silent retreat with his family and younger siblings. Along with other children, he learns about stories from the previous lives of the Buddha. The stories are interesting, but for Binh, it is difficult to sit still and clear his mind when he misses his Gameboy. While he struggles with silence, he learns important lessons about friendship, community, and being present. In the graphic novel "Enlighten Me," award-winning author Minh Lê and bestselling illustrator Chan Chau tell the story of a boy who gains a better understanding of himself as he works on quieting the mind and reflecting on dharma. Lê and Ch...

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