Recent and Current CSI Projects
Natural Resources and the Environment:
Mapping the Colorado Basin Roundtable’s Water Policy Networks. The Colorado Institute of Public Policy and the Center for Systems Integration completed a social network analysis project with the Colorado Basin Roundtable, on behalf of the Public Education, Participation, and Outreach Work Group of the Interbasin Compact Committee, Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
Colorado’s Water Roundtables. In partnership with the Colorado Institute of Public Policy, the Center for Systems Integration has done multiple projects on behalf of the Water Roundtable process in Colorado, including developing a literature review of relevant negotiation and consensus processes, available at: http://www.cipp.colostate.edu/pdf/CIPP_Neg_paper.pdf
Climate Change and Renewable Energy. The Center for Systems Integration has provided research support to the start-up of the Colorado Institute of Public Policy’s energy and climate change activities. More work in this area is upcoming for the Center, including co-authoring policy briefs on key issues for Colorado.
Legal Profession:
Colorado Bar Association. The Center for Systems Integration worked with the Colorado Bar Association's Pledge to Diversity Legal Group to conduct a survey and analysis of its membership on diversity issues. The survey examined the experiences of diverse and non-diverse attorneys, exploring the opportunities for improving diversity recruiting and retaining practices in the Denver-metro area. The report on the survey, published in August of 2007, is called Diversity in Colorado's Legal Profession and was prepared by CSI and the Colorado Institute of Public Policy for the Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group. (A copy of Diversity in Colorado's Legal Profession is available on our products webpage.)
Behavioral Health:
Colorado JR07-1050 Behavioral Health Taskforce. In 2007, the Colorado Legislature passed a resolution requiring a taskforce to examine and make recommendations on how to increase coordination, streamline, and maximization of funding for the behavioral health system. To access the Task Force website, including the final report with legislative recommendations, click here.
Colorado LINKS. Colorado LINKS for Mental Health (Linking Interagency Networks for Kids’ Services) is an initiative seeking to create partnerships between state agencies and community groups working in the kid’s mental health system. The Center for Systems Integration (CSI) has been working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and members of the LINKS advisory group to implement this initiative. Some of the key activities CSI has undertaken are statewide surveys, including a social network survey of state agencies; community meetings and youth and family focus groups across the state; action planning meetings; and a guidebook. (For more information about the LINKS Initiative, or to download the guidebook or other materials, please click here.)
Mental Health Disparities. The Center for Systems Integration in partnership with Bridging Cultures, Improving Performance prepared The Policy Brief and The Report on Mental Health Disparities in Colorado commissioned by The Colorado Trust to inform its ongoing grantmaking activities related to advancing quality mental health care for the people of Colorado. (A link to the Policy Brief and Report can be found on our products page.)
Mental Health & Wellness Scan. The Center for Systems Integration on behalf of Jefferson Center for Mental Health in Colorado conducted a literature review and national scan to identify, compile, and analyze information on innovative and effective mental health and wellness programs offered by mental/behavioral health providers across the country.
Blue Ribbon Policy Council for Early Childhood Mental Health Policy Toolkit. The Center for Systems Integration has developed an online policy toolkit for the Blue Ribbon Policy Council. The purpose of the toolkit is to support the mental health, and social and emotional development of young children through policy and systems change in Colorado. (A link to the Blue Ribbon Policy Council Toolkit can be found on our products page.)
Health:
Health Disparities. The Colorado Institute of Public Policy and the Center for Systems Integration began exploring the problem of health disparities by holding a series of meetings with over 50 community leaders. The first related policy brief was released in March 2007. The brief examines the breakdowns in communication, understanding, and information among stakeholders. These breakdowns result in decisions and actions that appear appropriate and helpful to one group of stakeholders, but inappropriate or even problematic for other stakeholders. (A link to the Health Disparities Policy Brief can be found on our products page.)
Interagency Health Disparities Leadership Council. The Center for Systems Integration did the research and convening to begin the Colorado Office of Health Disparities’ interagency council. The council brings together community partners with representatives from many different state agencies to develop a coordinated and effective approach to decreasing health disparities. CSI has also helped to develop marketing materials for the council, including a policy brief with recommendations to the executive branch and legislature. A success guide to health disparities efforts in the Denver Metro area is available as a product of the original convening effort. (A link to the Success Stories can be found on our products page)
Colorado School Health Summit. The Center for Systems Integration served as the conference planners of a school health summit on November 13, 2006 for The Colorado Trust and The Colorado Health Foundation to identify best practices and to build on the existing efforts underway to provide quality school health care in Colorado.
Juvenile Justice:
Framework and Plan for Colorado's Juvenile Justice System: In 2004, the legislature mandated the development of a plan for effective, collaborative services in the juvenile justice system to improve outcomes for youth with mental illness and co-occurring disorders. This plan was developed by the Center for Systems Integration in partnership with the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health ~ Colorado Chapter, on behalf of the Task Force for the Continuing Examination of the Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness who are Involved in the Justice System. The Task Force has adopted the plan and is exploring implementation opportunities in partnership with the Colorado Divisions of Criminal Justice and Mental Health and the Prevention Leadership Council. (A copy of the Final Plan and Framework is available on our products webpage.)
System of Care:
Project BLOOM’s Wraparound Comparison Study. Project BLOOM, an early childhood system of care initiative in Colorado, commissioned a study conducted by The Center for Systems Integration to compare the wraparound planning process with other individualized planning processes mandated by different service systems to inform its planning efforts to address the social, emotional, and behavioral issues of young children and their families.
The Evaluation of the Evolution of a System of Care: A Case Study of the Colorado’s Cornerstone Initiative. Cornerstone began in 1999 through a grant to the Colorado Division of Mental Health from the federal Center for Mental Health Services. As federal grant funding ended, the Division of Mental Health commissioned a monograph prepared by The Center for Systems Integration in partnership with Christine Engleby to share what had been learned from evaluating Cornerstone during its first five years of operations. The purpose of the monograph is to offer guidance to others involved in system of care and system integration projects on how to use the information gleaned from these evaluation activities to improve their ongoing efforts. (A copy of the Cornerstone Monograph can be found on our products page.)
Family Leadership:
Family Leadership Academy: The Center for Systems Integration developed a family leadership curriculum in collaboration with Red Rocks Community College, JeffCo Family Support Network, and the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health ~ Colorado Chapter to prepare families to sit on policy boards and councils.
