Mayor, Denver Health clash over treatment program’s funding – Denver Gazette

Mayor, Denver Health clash over treatment program’s funding  Denver Gazette

Denver Health CEO Donna Lynne says the city is walking away from decades of support for Denver CARES as the health system seeks nearly $23 million in additional funding from Denver. Denver Health’s top executive accused the city of abandoning a decades-long funding commitment to a substance abuse treatment program and described this year’s budget talks as “not a good faith negotiation.” “I am personally committed to continuing this service, but I’m not going to do it on the backs of other services,” that Denver Health has to provide, the hospital’s CEO, Donna Lynne, told The Denver Gazette following Monday’s budget hearing. The health system is the region’s primary safety net provider.

Lynne clashed with Mayor Mike Johnston over nearly $23 million that the health system said it needs from the city, including funding for a more than 50-year-old addiction treatment program that Lynne suggested Denver is contractually obligated to support. The disagreement surfaced during Denver Health’s budget hearing with city officials as the health system sought funding that was left out of Johnston’s proposed 2027 budget. Among the disputed funding is money for Denver Community Addiction Rehabilitation and Evaluation Services, or Denver CARES, which provides withdrawal management and residential treatment for substance abuse. The city did not provide funding for Denver CARES last year, the first time it had