Here's what else happens outside of counseling.

 

FORBES PUBLICATION

Rhiana was recently interviewed & published in Forbes discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of civilians.

Depression and anxiety “thrive on social isolation and disruption of routine,” Holmes said, making the coronavirus pandemic and resulting quarantines prime for mental health upheavals.

View the article here.

MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY

Rhiana is an active member of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’ Advocacy & Education Committee (AEC). This committee contains members of varying professional backgrounds in order to promote ease of access to mental health services, as well as educating the general public about mental health. The advocacy portion of this committee includes meeting yearly with Colorado state senators to advocate for increased funding for mental health services, testifying on healthcare & housing bills passing through the legislative process, and more. In May of 2019, the AEC met with Colorado state senator Cory Gardner’s team in Washington D.C. to advocate for increased housing access for transgender individuals. In January of 2020, Rhiana participated in a live stream through the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’ Education Series in which she discussed the importance of access to mental health care. During this live stream, Rhiana shared how the prison system has become the largest mental health provider in the United States; a direct result of the failure of social services to prevent the mass incarceration of the mentally ill. In November of 2020, the AEC again met with Cory Gardner’s team, this time virtually, to discuss increased access to healthcare & housing within the upcoming stimulus bill.

To learn more about CCH’s Education Series, click here.

mental health legislation

Rhiana is an active member of Mental Health Colorado, a non-profit organization created to build & implement mental health policy. In 2019, Rhiana met with Colorado state legislators to advocate for a new mental health bill that would increase access to long term mental health care. In 2020, Rhiana plans to not only assist in the construction of mental health legislation, but will also testify on upcoming mental health bills in the Colorado state senate.

Mental Health Colorado writes mental health policy to assist in:

  • increasing access to support & services

  • reducing harm from drugs & alcohol

  • decriminalizing mental health

  • ending shame & discrimination

To learn more about MHC, click here.