My name is Maria Cisneros, and I am reaching out to share the devastating experience my family endured. My 17-year-old son, Moises, tragically died by suicide after a relentless battle with depression. What we faced was not merely a failure of the individual but a systemic oversight in the mental health care he received. Moises was hospitalized multiple times, and his doctors, using a blind and archaic process, cycled him through a variety of antidepressants without success. They were operating under the assumption of blind trial and error, trying to address his complex needs without fully understanding the underlying genetic factors that played a crucial role in his condition.

After Moises's passing, a genetic test revealed a severe genetic resistance to standard psychiatric medications, a trait that Moises inherited from me. This discovery highlights an essential breakthrough: Moises did not fail his medication; the system failed him by overlooking his biological makeup. We know now that many cases of treatment-resistant depression can be explained by genetic differences that affect how individuals metabolize medications.

These insights urge us to implement a fundamental change in our approach to mental health care. We call upon the Colorado General Assembly, along with the Colorado House & Senate and Human Service Committees, to pass "Moises's Law." This would mandate genetic testing for patients after multiple psychiatric hospitalizations to ensure their treatments are informed by biology, not guesswork. Such legislation would empower physicians with crucial information, potentially reducing the trial and error process and minimizing suffering, while tailor-fitting treatments to individuals’ specific genetic codes.

The implementation of Moises’s Law would provide clarity and hope for thousands of individuals and families battling severe mental illness across Colorado. Let us honor Moises and prevent further tragedies by using proven scientific tools to deliver personalized, effective mental health care.

Please join me in this crucial effort by signing this petition. Together, we can drive change and ensure that no family has to endure unnecessary tragedy due to systemic shortcomings in mental health treatment.