News
Vote YES For Mental Health - Ballot Issue 1A

On the front lines where our police officers, paramedics, nurses and physicians see mental illness and substance abuse on full display, it is scary and heartbreaking. These issues affect every age and income level in Eagle County. Our role as a community is not to judge, but to help.
Mental illness and substance abuse are community epidemics that can only be solved by working together. Vail Health Hospital has seen a staggering 243% increase in detox patients from 210 encounters in 2014 to 511 in 2016. Our suicide rates in Eagle County are double the state average. We must come together to help our own.
Currently, there is no reliable funding mechanism to adequately address our growing behavioral health issues. For the first time, we have the opportunity to enact a very real solution towards improving mental health resources in Eagle County. By taxing recreational marijuana, our community can establish $1.2 million in designated annual funding to help solve mental illness and substance abuse issues locally. These funds will not be used to build facilities, but to operate mental health walk-in clinics, respite care, crisis stabilization and social detox units through knowledgeable mental health experts.
We cannot rely on anyone outside this community to come to the rescue – we need to take care of our own. Please join me in voting YES for mental health on Eagle County Ballot 1A.
Doris Kirchner
Vail Health President & CEO
More News
-
New!
More
The Power of Zone 2 Training: Unlocking Endurance, Metabolic Health, and Longevity
Zone 2 training has recently gained widespread attention. While endurance athletes have long known the value of Zone 2, also known as low intensity aerobic work, this approach is now resonating and being embraced by the general population and in the healthspan and longevity space, and for good reason
-
New!
More
Savoring Summer: A Dietitian’s Take on In-Season Produce in This Steak (or Protein of Your Choice), Peach, and Watercress Salad
Summer is the perfect season to let fresh, vibrant produce shine—and few dishes showcase seasonal fruit and vegetables better than a hearty, yet refreshing Protein, Peach and Watercress Salad.
-
New!
More
The Jet Lag Juggle: Tips For Arriving At New Time Zones Feeling Refreshed Instead Of Fatigued
That first breath of air in a new city — exotic and unfamiliar — feels exhilarating. But behind the excitement (yaaaawn) lurks jet lag. One minute, you’re wide awake and eager to explore; the next, you’re face-planting into your lunch because your body thinks it’s 3 a.m.