A bill that aims to make the "I Matter" program, which provides free therapy sessions to Colorado children and teens, a permanent fixture has advanced through the Democrat-controlled Colorado legislature. The bill passed 7-2 in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and is now moving to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Advocates of SB24-001 argue that the "I Matter" program has made mental health counseling easily accessible to thousands of Colorado students who have been grappling with unprecedented levels of depression and anxiety. They attribute these mental health challenges to factors such as social media, the environment, and pandemic.

PRIME SPONSORS

• Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet

• Rep. Kyle Brown

The program offers six free telehealth or in-person counseling sessions to students in elementary through high school. Students aged 12 and above can sign up for therapy sessions through a simple online form, while children under 12 require parental consent. Read the bill HERE.

Currently, the program costs $6 million annually, but state officials anticipate that the cost could rise to $11 million next year as usage increases. However, if the program does not receive additional funding through the legislature this year, it is set to expire in the summer.

Since its launch in the fall of 2021, nearly 11,000 children and teens have utilized the "I Matter" program, according to data from Colorado's Behavioral Health Administration. Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, highlighted the number of kids who have benefited from the program in various counties, including Denver, El Paso, Jefferson, Weld, and Eagle.

READ MORE:

• GOVERNOR POLIS PROBES IMPROPERLY DISCLOSED MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION INSPECTIONS IN COLORADO

• ANNUAL REPORT REVEALS SIGNIFICANT TOLL ON COLORADO KID’S MENTAL HEALTH DUE TO STRESS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE PANDEMIC

• GEN Z'ERS SUFFER FROM 'MENU ANXIETY' WHEN DINING OUT: A GENERATION AFRAID TO ORDER

• SO HOW CRAZY TOO CRAZY TO STAND TRIAL FOR MASS MURDER?

Supporters of the bill argue that the program has proven to be effective in helping students and should be continued. They point to a 2019 law that lowered the age at which adolescents can seek mental health therapy without parental consent from 12 to 15 as evidence of the need for accessible mental health services for young people.