Behavioral Health Task Force

The Commission created the Behavioral Health Task Force to explore the issues surrounding offenders with mental illness and co-occurring disorders. The four primary areas of focus by the task force were treatment availability, training, screening/assessment, and social services benefits. Working between March 2008 and August 2009, the task force generated 22 recommendations. See the "Materials" section for additional information on the areas of focus and the recommendations.

NOTE: The Behavioral Health Transformation Council mentioned below was repealed effective September 1, 2018, pursuant to Senate Bill 2018-161.

The work of the CCJJ: Behavioral Health Task Force was subsumed by the Behavioral Health Transformation Council (BHTC) and its Criminal Justice Subcommittee. The membership and policy framework of the BHTC may be found in Senate Bills 2010-153 and 2010-175. Other work was passed to what is currently known as the Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Task Force. On July 1, 2022, following with the passage of Colorado ​House Bill 22-1278, the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) became operational. This agency is designed to be the single entity responsible for driving coordination and collaboration across state agencies to address behavioral health needs, including for criminal justice.

No Further Meetings

The Behavioral Health Task Force met between March 2008 and August 2009 and has concluded.

Task Force Members

Membership: March 2008 to August 2009 Name Affiliation Regina Huerter, Chair Denver Crime Prevention & Control Commission, Manager of Safety Lacey Berumen National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Glenn Tapia Office of Community Corrections, Division of Criminal Justice Louis Boris Colorado Coalition for the Homeless 'Nita Brown National Alliance for the Mentally Ill TBD Mental Health America of Colorado Marceil Case Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing Pamela Clifton Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition Susan Colling Division of Probation Services TBD Juvenile Parole Board Sue Ferrere Jefferson County Justice Services TBD Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council Jessica Gapuzan Judicial Services Division, Community Resources Dept., Arapahoe County Joscelyn Gay Department of Human Services Spencer Green Centennial Mental Health Center Harriet Hall Jefferson Center for Mental Health Todd Helvig Community Behavioral Health Services, Department of Corrections TBD Governor's Office Melissa Ippolito Colorado TASC, Peer Assistance Services Bill Kilpatrick Golden Police Department Stephen Kopanos Mental Health America of Colorado Mike Kucera Aurora Mental Health Center Evelyn Leslie Colorado School for Family Therapy Reo Leslie, Jr. Colorado School for Family Therapy Jennifer Martinez Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. Sean McDermott Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Carmelita Muniz Colorado Association of Alcohol and Drug Service Providers Jeffrey Nelson Jefferson Center for Mental Health Mark Olson Aurora Mental Health Center Elizabeth Pace Peer Assistance Services Donald Quick Colorado District Attorney Council, 17th Judicial District Jack Reed Judicial Services Division, Community Resources Dept., Arapahoe County Kathy Sasak Department of Public Safety Gina Shimeall Arapahoe-Douglas Mental Health Network Joanie Shoemaker Department of Corrections Steve Siegel Denver District Attorney's Office TBD Adams County Sheriff's Department Charles Smith Division of Behavioral Health, Department of Human Services Dave Stephens Department of Corrections Richard Swanson Aurora Mental Health Center Deborah Ward-White Family Agency Collaboration, Mental Health Center of Denver Meg Williams Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance, Division of Criminal Justice Staff: Diane Pasini-Hill, Division of Criminal Justice

Subgroups

The Behavioral Health Task Force had no subgroups.

Materials

Behavioral Health / Criminal Justice: Areas of Focus Describes the four primary areas of focus by the Behavioral Health Task Force (treatment availability, training, screening/assessment, and social services benefits).  Behavioral Health Recommendations Describes the 22 original recommendations generated by the Behavioral Health Task Force. The Commission took no specific action on these recommendations. These recommendations were forwarded to representatives on the Behavioral Health Transformation Council.

Previous Meetings

The Behavioral Health Task Force met between March 2008 and August 2009 and did not record minutes. The "Behavioral Health Recommendations" above in "Materials" reflect the work of the Task Force.