You or someone you know may soon benefit directly from the nearly $237,000 recently received from the State of Colorado to ensure residents of Douglas County working through a mental or behavioral health issue have a seamless and supportive safety net.
Douglas County will use its $236,801 for a dedicated case manager and peer recovery coach to support individuals with serious mental illness, substance use disorder, intellectual or developmental disability/delay served through the Douglas County Mental Health Initiative’s Care Compact and Community Response Team programs.
The new staff will be employees of the Mental Health Initiative partner organization, AllHealth Network, and will focus on supporting individuals who may be at risk for falling through the cracks of the mental and behavioral health system, which sometimes occurs after an emergency room discharge while individuals wait for a follow-up appointment.
With the goal of keeping individuals receiving services both engaged and moving forward in their recovery, the population served by this grant may also include those on an outpatient mental health certification, court-ordered hold, high utilizers of emergency or inpatient systems of care, or those transitioning from an inpatient setting into the community.
The Colorado Department of Human Services’ Office of Behavioral Health awarded a total of $9 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Applicants were required to have a sustainability plan for how services will continue beyond the grant period. Douglas County is using the funding to enhance programs that have already been in place through the Douglas County Mental Health Initiative. Through a competitive application process, Douglas County was one of 18 Colorado counties awarded a grant to expand mental and behavioral health disorder treatment programs. The funds may be spent through June 30, 2023.
In partnership with families and the community, supporting our most vulnerable while promoting self-sufficiency is one of the Board of County Commissioners six core priorities. Learn more about Health and Human Services in Douglas County online.