Letters to the Editor

I know and speak to hundreds of consumers a month statewide. The old days of the "us against them" (consumers versus providers) adversarial attitudes are over. Colorado consumers want to partner with their providers and work as a seamless team. After all, we want the same thing: optimal wellness for consumers. Yes, caseloads have doubled and even tripled. Yes, the majority of consumers are afraid to file grievances and complaints for dozens of reasons, certainly not just at JCMH, but everywhere. Our peers, friends and family members are being incarcerated in prison for symptomatic behavior, becoming homeless and dying because they have been cut from treatment. Most of the children in residential placement at Fort Logan are not there because of a diagnosis, but because they need a foster placement and have nowhere to go.

Let's not chew our own leg off here. Let's look at our elected officials. Let's look at TABOR and Gallagher and at the lack of parity in Colorado. Let's look at the fact that if we neglect the need of people with psychiatric disabilities today, we are going to suck this state dry fiscally in the years to come.

Amy Smith
Denver

Offsides: Regarding Bill Gallo's "Busted Broncs," in the December 4 issue:

Eat your words, Mr. Gallo. You did watch the Kansas City versus the Broncos game, didn't you? Honestly, I'll bet you didn't, since it seems to me you got your information and made your opinion based on anything but watching football! Your sports articles seem to jump around from one thing to another. There is no focus.

Get a grip. Go see a game, maybe two. Start watching other teams on TV to learn a bit about the sport. Or give up writing on football.

Jim Lepik
Aurora