Co-Chairs:
Mark Wright, Administrative Director, Denver Health
Louise Boris, Vice President, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
The purpose of the Mental Health Committee is to analyze and make recommendations for policies and programs to improve mental health and co-occurring disorder interventions, create system change, enhance inter-agency coordination and increase capacity within the current mental health system and practices. The Committee makes recommendations and provides oversight to Crime Prevention and Control funds for promising or evidence-based mental health programs and services that will reduce offender risk and recidivism. Some of the current work around the Mental Health Committee include: the match of offender mental health needs with referrals for treatment based on varying need levels, review and evaluation of mental health needs assessment tools, recommendations for mental health/substance abuse units in the Denver County Jail, and recommendations for behavioral health (mental health/substance abuse) reentry services. The Committee analyzes the current status and effectiveness of mental health initiatives and collaborates on solutions to case studies and current issues around offender mental health.