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Michelle Barnes: Fierce Advocate for the LGBTQ+ Community

Michelle Barnes: Fierce Advocate for the LGBTQ+ Community

“My experience with Marburg has been on my mind a lot during this COVID-19 situation. Known as Ebola’s evil twin, it shows up in the same way as Ebola, the same symptoms, same effects.”

After her experience with Marburg virus, Barnes has insight around LGBTQ+ people who might be suffering through the coronavirus right now, as so many of us are also already experiencing the ills of isolation. She recalled firsthand the mental game and the guilt she battled. “Both after I got the virus and was in the depths of it, and while I was recovering, it was as painful as I could possibly imagine it being. It was a game of, ‘Why me? Why did I get this?’” Which left her, she said, wondering things like, ‘Did I not wash my hands enough? Did I make a mistake?’

She continued with the feeling of stigma she experienced when someone “finds out” you have a virus; they don’t want to be around you, or they are scared and they blame you for having a disease you just got, that you didn’t search for. She relates this stigma to any marginalized group who feels stigma throughout this COVID-19 experience and how difficult it must be to deal with the feelings of stigma as it relates to being queer.

In his state address January 9, Governor Jared Polis spoke on the much-needed reform of mental and behavioral health in Colorado. I asked Barnes about that and how it relates even moreso now to COVID-19 and specifically for LGBTQ+ communities.

“We are very concerned about the LGBTQ+ population with the virus. There are even more challenges to getting access to mental health and substance abuse services, as this community is always in need of mental health services at a higher rate than average population.”

She explained the main focus right now stands with the creation of Colorado’s Behavioral Task Force. “This task force is compiled of approximately 100 members throughout the state, representing all different stakeholder groups, who are looking at not the 300 things we can do, but at the few things we could do that would dramatically change access and affordability to mental health services for all Coloradans right now.”

That is no small feat. Barnes explained a new and rising need for telehealth and how that could be one of the tactics that will make a big difference to getting service to all populations in Colorado.

“One of the things we have found is the huge barrier to receiving help is the stigma.” This is especially clear for the LGBTQ+ community. Barnes stated that people don’t want to be labeled with the mental health condition or substance abuse condition, so therein lies a huge barrier for all. Polis, the Department of Health, and Michelle Barnes in particular have deep concerns about LGBTQ+ high school students, who are five times more likley than their hetero peers to attempt suicide. “That is a frightening number,” she added, “a number that we should all be familiar with and help lower.”

Launched a few months ago, the See Me Campaignhopes to battle the stigma so many suffer. “We are doing this #SeeMeColorado campaign to raise awareness for people who are finding stigma a barrier when trying to get into service.”

In regards to harm-reduction services, their focus is in the more remote areas of Colorado. Barnes is very excited to announce the disbursement of three mobile units throughout North and Southeastern Colorado and the San Luis Valley. “There are so many misconceptions about mental health, and the comorbidity of mental health and substance abuse, which leaves a lot of education that needs to be done.” The Department of Public Health has also invested in getting Naloxone and Naloxone kits distrubted as part of their plan to combat addiction.

“The department has been very aggressive in getting those kits out.” She recommends the mobile app OPI RESCUE for those in need. Using this app will tell you the location of a pharmacy or a prescriber that can help you find Naloxone or Narcan.

Queering Mental Health- Envision:You 2020

Most important are the more rural communities where folks don’t have access to this help.But in these communities, people are often reluctant to seek help. “They are white trucks with no markings, so they don’t say, ‘I have a problem; I’m coming here to get help.’” These mobile units will be equipped for medically assisted treatment actions and Naloxone syringe disposal as well as providing needs for mental health. Barnes added, “We are hoping to have those in much broader areas in Colorado, but for right now, we are starting with three. We are feeling really good about the results so far.”

The San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group website notes, “Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health received federal grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help increase access to treatment for opioid use disorder. OBH partnered with Managed Service Organizations (MSO) Signal Behavioral Health Network and West Slope Casa to manage the mobile health unit project regionally and work closely with the providers who will own and operate each unit.”

So, how will these mobile units help the LGBTQ+ stigma in regards to finding help? “The stigma we are hearing a lot about is such that, if you are lesbian in a rural community, sometimes you don’t really want to come out in that community. So, now you have ‘I need to come out AND ask for help,’” which is the problem Barnes is hoping these mobile units solve: more anonymity and safety for the queer community.

To join in the fight, visit seemecolorado.com. To learn more about the OPI RESCUE app, visit opirescue.com/about.

*Photo provided by Michelle Barnes

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