Date: 08/18/2015

Final
Review of the History of Advisory Task Force

TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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01:16 PM -- Review of the History of Advisory Task Force

Susan Walton, MICJS Task Force Chair and representing Park County Department of Human Services, introduced herself. Camille Harding, MICJS Task Force Co-chair and representing Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), introduce herself. Ms. Walton discussed the previous work the task force has done regarding housing issues. She referenced Senate Bill 09-019, which concerned the establishment of a pilot program to fund grants to local governments to facilitate changes in land development regulations to accommodate the housing needs of persons with mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system. Senate Bill 09-019 was postponed indefinitely during the 2009 legislative session. Ms. Walton discussed the efforts of HCPF and the City of Aurora that the MICJS Task Force is supporting related to housing.


01:19 PM

Adam Tucker, HCPF, discussed the housing task force created in HCPF and the ability of the state to provide wrap-around services when someone exits the criminal justice system. He discussed the Housing First model. Mr. Tucker responded to questions about the involvement of parole officers and entities such as COMCOR, Inc., which is a private, not-for-profit community corrections programs, in the work that HCPF is doing related to housing. Representative Singer asked for data about the number of people who are released from the criminal justice system with mental illness who qualify for disability benefits, and how many are veterans. Mr. Tucker said he did not have that information, but could provide it after the meeting. Representative Singer discussed the Department of Local Affairs' Supportive Housing Program and the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community. Representative Humphrey asked for information about recidivism rates. Ms. Harding discussed some of the difficulties with compiling data related to recidivism rates. Senator Martinez Humenik referenced the work that the Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission is doing to address recidivism.


01:26 PM

Ms. Walton discussed a potential tour of the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community for the MICJS task force. She referenced prior presentations made by Pat Coyle, Department of Local Affairs, and Frank Alexander, Boulder County Housing and Human Services, to the task force on innovative housing programs. Ms. Walton asked for additional direction from the oversight committee on how the task force can address housing issues.


01:29 PM

Ms. Walton discussed enhanced data collection related to persons who have a mental illness who are involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. She referenced the Colorado Children and Youth Information Sharing Initiative, which was a collaboration between the Department of Education, HCPF, Department of Human Services, Department of Public Health and Environment, Department of Public Safety (DPS), and Judicial Branch. The initiative developed an on-line tool to share information across systems with parental permission. She stated that the tool is not being used as widely as was hoped, and said legislation maybe needed to help support or fund the use of the on-line tool.


01:31 PM

Ms. Harding discussed the task force's subcommittee on data collection and data sharing. She provided a handout diagraming the isolation of information that occurs in various state agencies (Attachment F). She stated that a graduate student from the University of Colorado will be conducting focus groups to identify the challenges in defining recidivism and severe mental illness. Ms. Harding referenced federal rules regarding the confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records.

15MICJS0818AttachF.pdf15MICJS0818AttachF.pdf

01:35 PM

Peggy Heil, MICJS Task Force member and representing DPS, discussed the grant application the DPS submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance for recidivism reduction. She said the DPS will not find out the results of the grant application until September. She discussed the involvement of the IJIS Institute, which is a nonprofit corporation that collaborates with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies to provide technical assistance, training, and support services for information exchange and technology initiatives, in the program proposed in the grant application. Ms. Heil stated that the standards for sharing information in the criminal justice system are different than the standards for sharing information between health systems. She discussed how the grant could improve continuity of care through information sharing, thus reducing recidivism rates. Ms. Heil discussed the funding that would be available if the grant is awarded to Colorado. She outlined some of the preliminary work that is already happening in anticipation of receiving the grant. She commented on the lack of consistent definitions for serious mental illness and recidivism among various entities.


01:39 PM

Representative Singer referenced the Joint Technology Committee and asked about the IJIS Institute's experience with Colorado's database systems. Ms. Heil and Ms. Harding discussed the role of the IJIS Institute in developing a comprehensive statewide plan to address information sharing between various state and local information technology systems.


01:43 PM

Ms. Walton discussed the lack of data concerning juvenile competency evaluations. Senator Martinez Humenik expressed the importance of relevant data and providing information about where the needs and gaps in services are occurring. Ms. Harding referenced the Measuring Behavioral Health: Fulfilling Colorado's Commitment to Become the Healthiest State report that can be found at: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Measuring%20Behavioral%20Health%20in%20Colorado.pdf. Senator Martinez Humenik discussed substance addiction and suicide rates, especially in the juvenile population. Representative Lee discussed the definitions for serious mental illness and recidivism that are used by the Department of Corrections. Ms. Harding discussed how different state and local agencies define recidivism. She discussed the need for a statewide standard definition for recidivism. Discussion about recidivism ensued.


01:54 PM

Ms. Walton further discussed accessing data concerning juvenile competency evaluations.