Government
Why Denver Voted to Fund Mental-Health Treatment
The .25 percent sales tax will offer a new pool of money to treat mental health and addiction, focusing on treatment centers and therapy over police and jails.
A year after Colorado saw a record 1,175 suicides and an all-time high number of drug overdoses, according to the Colorado Health Institute, Denver voters decided to take matters into their own hands.
On Election Day, the city passed a .25 percent sales tax (or 25 cents on a $100 purchase) under the Caring 4 Denver initiative, raising a new stream of money to treat mental health and addiction. It’s meant to take the response out of the hands of police and jails and focus on treatment centers and therapy.