Aaron Gutierrez, a fourth-generation Puebloan, is running for state senate. His entire career has been dedicated to serving the Pueblo community and defending the law. As a Colorado State Public Defender, Judicial Law Clerk in the Water Law Division, and co-owner of the Gutierrez Law Group, he has gained extensive experience in the criminal justice system.

Policy Priorities

Gutierrez’s top policy priority is addressing the critical shortage of localized mental health and substance use treatment resources in Southern Colorado. He believes that the recent closures of vital local facilities, including the shutdown of Parkview’s inpatient psychiatric unit and severe service reductions and closures within Health Solutions’ local network, have reached a state of emergency.

Through his work in the Pueblo Veteran’s Treatment Court and as a former public defender, Gutierrez has seen firsthand the devastating impact of the neglect of mental health infrastructure. He plans to aggressively fight to bring state-backed incentives to recruit and retain mental health professionals in Pueblo and fund the reopening of robust, community-based inpatient and outpatient facilities.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.