The Clarion sits down with the CEO of MHAC

Andrew Romanoff, a DU alumnus and former Colorado state legislator, made local headlines once again after being named the new CEO and president of Mental Health America of Colorado (MHAC) on April 1.

“This is a cause I care about,” said Romanoff. “I think the organization is advancing the cause and I think we have made a lot of progress as a state, but not enough. That’s one of the reasons I joined.”

During his time in the Colorado House of Representatives, the Ohio native worked in the Health, Environment, Welfare and Institutions Committee.

Growing up, his mother worked at a mental health hospital, and his father worked as a prosecutor.

“My mom helped people who might have been living on the streets, and ,when they didn’t get help, they could end up in my dad’s courtroom because they were hurting themselves or hurting other people,” said Romanoff.

For Romanoff, the issue of mental health hits particularly close to home, especially considering recent events. His cousin took her own life New Year’s Day, just a few months ago.

“We had a wonderful time New Year’s Eve, [but] we had no idea that she was depressed, much less suicidal. We didn’t see it. She wouldn’t let us see it.”

“If you talk to enough folks, pretty much every family in Colorado has been touched by suicide, mental illness or drugs and alcohol abuse,” added Romanoff. “It’s striking. There has got to be a better way to address this problem before it’s too late.”

MHAC provides pro bono therapist referral services, funds a school-based program called Check Your Head and also engages in lobbying. Eliminating stigma and ensuring accessible care are among the goals of the now 60-year-old organization.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his master’s in public policy from Harvard University, Romanoff came to Denver on a weekend visit in 1993 and decided to stay.

Romanoff starting taking night classes at the Sturm College of Law in 2002 while simultaneously serving in the Colorado House of Representatives. He was elected to four consecutive terms from 2001 to 2009, and was voted Speaker in his last two terms.

“I loved my job in the legislature, and it was a great gig to be the Speaker of the House,” said Romanoff. “I think we made a difference on my watch.”

Both the Colorado Economic Recovery Act and the construction project Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) were written by Romanoff.

He graduated with his Juris Doctorate in 2008.

“Some of the best professors I’ve had at any school I’ve ever been to at DU,” said Romanoff.

Despite his many life successes, both of Romanoff’s bids for Congress fell short. This past November, Republican-incumbent Mike Coffman defeated Romanoff in the 6th Congressional District race, and in 2010 Romanoff ran unsuccessfully to unseat Michael Bennet in the Senate democratic primary.

Romanoff indicated that he is not planning to run for office again, and is focusing on what he deems a life and death problem.

“The really striking thing is that a lot of the conversations we are having today were taking place 50, 60 years ago,” said Romanoff. “It’s not to say that we haven’t made any progress, because we have, I’m hoping in another 50 years we’re not having the same conversation.”