Behavior Health
The CSI partners have over twenty years of experience in behavioral health systems change. CSI has supported transformation efforts in Colorado through a combination of policy research, evaluation, program management, facilitation and conflict resolution, and policy design and implementation. CSI believes that sustainable and systemic policy change requires long-term commitment to bringing together experts at all levels, across all related policy systems, and collecting and using the best quality stakeholder driven research. CSI is committed to engaging family, consumer, youth, and local community voices in behavioral health systems change. For more information about behavioral health work at CSI, please contact the Center for Systems Integration at Information@csi-policy.org and ask for Denise McHugh, Executive Director.
Behavioral Health Projects
The Daylight Project: Advancing Access to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Coloradans. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Planning Effort was designed to bring together the various stakeholders with expertise in both behavioral health and services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and their families. Although Colorado has undertaken planning efforts in the past, there is currently no plan to address the disparities experienced by deaf and hard of hearing individuals with mental health and substance abuse needs. Access to services can be inhibited by cultural, communication, and technology barriers. The final action plan, developed in 2008 and being implemented in 2009 and 2010, is intended to build on the capacity that already exists within Colorado to create a more accessible and comprehensive array of services and supports.
The Building Bridges for Children’s Mental Health Project in Colorado (Building Bridges) is designed to build a statewide system to support and sustain the integration of public schools and local behavioral health systems that will lead to increased access to behavioral health services and improved outcomes for school-aged children. Building Bridges will integrate two complementary approaches currently in place in many Colorado communities: Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) from the education system, which is based on a preventive or public health framework, and System of Care (SOC) from the behavioral health system, which has focused on children and youth with serious mental health issues and those with co-occurring disorders. Both approaches have corresponding values and guiding principles that will drive the systems change process leading to a full continuum of behavioral health services and supports for Colorado’s students.
Mental Health / Juvenile Justice Action Network (MacArthur Foundation). With support from a three year grant from the MacArthur Foundation, called the Models for Change Grant, Colorado is building on the groundwork set by the Colorado Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council's Three Year Plan. This grant specifically funds Colorado’s efforts to improve the interface between juvenile justice and mental health for justice involved youth. A primary focus of Colorado’s MacArthur Project is the systematic incorporation of a research-based mental health screening protocol within all juvenile justice agencies statewide (MAYSI-2). This includes pilot-testing the MAYSI-2 at four sites (Denver Juvenile Probation Department, Denver Safe City, Jefferson County Juvenile Probation and Jefferson County Juvenile Assessment Center) to collect information and data that will be used to develop a juvenile justice system-wide mental health screening protocol. In addition to ensuring that the mental health screening tool is implemented with fidelity by juvenile justice agencies statewide, the majority of Colorado’s efforts in Year 3 will be focused on implementing a Family and Youth Work Plan with the primary goal of enhancing the level of knowledge and understanding among juvenile justice administrators, staff, and stakeholders of the critically important role that families play in the lives of their children, and the role that families can play as professional partners with the juvenile justice system to achieve better outcomes for youth.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
