Please welcome our newest Board member representing the Department of Public Safety, Katie Ruske.
Katie Ruske, M.S.W. is the Program Manager for the Office of Community Corrections (OCC) in the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice. The OCC is committed to advancing residential and non-residential community corrections in alignment with evidence-based principles and practices. The OCC is responsible for the funding, regulation, training, and technical assistance for community corrections programs as a direct sentence option and a transitional step from confinement. Previously Katie worked in the juvenile justice system in both confinement and community supervision. Katie has been committed to system advancement through the use of data, research, and best practices throughout her career. Her passion for criminal justice was instilled by her father, a judge for over 30 years in Indiana.
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SOMB 2024 Standards Revisions Wrap Up
Although Standards Revisions will be ongoing throughout the year, revisions done after July 1 of each year, are not expected to be fully implemented until July 1 of the following year. This gives staff time to provide training and technical assistance to the field to ensure proper implementation through training and technical assistance.
All providers should have adjusted to revisions to the Adult Standards, including the Introduction, Section 2, and the new requirements for Offense Specific Evaluations, specifically the 2.200 Evaluation Structure. Revisions within Section 3 include updated requirements and guidance for Individualized Treatment Plans, clarification within 3.162 regarding Appeals and Use Immunity, and clarification within 3.200 for Discharge Summaries and the requirement in Section 5, Standard 5.120 which requires written Monthly Reports be provided to supervising officers. Lunch and Learns are available to providers regarding these revisions through the Provider Hub and to other stakeholders upon request.
All providers should have adjusted to revisions to the Juvenile Standards, including the introduction of the Juvenile Standards and guidelines, where the Board clarified the use of shall and added language regarding direct file cases as directed by the 2023 Sunset review. In Section 2, revisions were made to provide information to the juvenile and their families about evaluations; strengthened language around timeframes for evaluations; updated the list of strengths, risks, and needs; and provided further guidance regarding recommendations and the use of evaluation instruments.
All providers should be aware of the most recent revisions, which are in the Implementation Stage. These standards have been approved and published in the January 2025 versions of both the Adult and Juvenile Standards. Providers should be adjusted to these changes and have fully implemented any changes by July 1, 2025.
Adult Standards Revisions include Standard 3.160 regarding requirements for Individualized Treatment Plans and the most recent changes to 3.500 Acceptance of Responsibility and Accountability.
Juvenile Standards Revisions include Section 2.210 which provided further clarification on pre-plea evaluations.
Section 4.000 in both the Adult and Juvenile Standards were revised to reflect updated statutory requirements for Polygraph Examiners.
When submitting applications and reapplications, please do not pull your own criminal history also known as Jbits/OIG/Court access and upload them into the “Documents” tab. This is a staff duty and is a part of the statutory background investigation process. The “Select File Type” in the Documents tab is for both staff and providers to use. However, providers only need to upload what is showing in BLUE at the top of this tab. For questions, please contact Reggin.Palmitesso-Martinez@state.co.us
2025 Annual Legislative Report
We are excited to share the SOMB 2025 Annual Legislative Report. This comprehensive report fulfills the Board’s statutory obligation to annually provide insights and updates to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
Key Highlights
Sexual and Violent Recidivism Study
The report features a pivotal research initiative from 2024: a study assessing recidivism and desistance outcomes among individuals who have completed sex offense-specific treatment under SOMB guidelines. Mandated by House Bill 16-1345, this study leverages data from the SOMB Provider Data Management System (PDMS) to track post-treatment outcomes, informing evidence-based policies and practices. A concise one-page bulletin (Sex Offender Management Board 2025 Recidivism and Desistance Outcomes Project) describing the study will also be available on the SOMB webpage.
PDMS 2024 Data Collection
Data collected through the SOMB PDMS summarizes trends in evaluations, treatment, and polygraph examinations for individuals discharged in 2024. This data provides critical insights into client treatment and discharge outcomes, supporting the SOMB's commitment to continuous improvement. It is provided in Appendix C.
Celebrating Key Accomplishments
In 2024, the SOMB made substantial progress toward fulfilling the mandates of SB 23-264, achieving milestones while managing ongoing responsibilities. Notable accomplishments include:
- Collaborated with the Department of Corrections to present the SOMB/DOC Treatment Solutions report and improve accessibility to the Sex Offender Treatment and Management Program (SOTMP).
- Updated Adult and Juvenile Standards and Guidelines to align with legislative updates and improve supervisory agency processes.
- Formed a Determinate Sentence Workgroup to revise parole release guidelines and began compliance reviews for treatment providers.
- Strengthened community and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
- Successfully hosted the Annual Conference, with over 500 attendees, and conducted 33 training events, engaging more than 1,400 participants statewide.
We encourage you to explore the full report to gain deeper insights into the impactful work of the SOMB. Stay connected and engaged by visiting the SOMB webpage.
Advanced Series Training
The LATTICES Program for High-Risk Criminal Clients
Description: What treatment is appropriate for a violent individual who is known to promote prostitution and is then caught abusing his “girlfriend?” What to do with the client who has committed theft, assault, and sex crimes? This presentation will cover the LATTICES program for high-risk offenders, co-developed by Diana Groener, MA, LPC and Jane Ward, PhD. This is a research-based psychoeducational program for adult male clients who have a history of committing sex offenses, intimate partner violence, sex trafficking, and/or other crimes of exploitation or instrumental violence. LATTICES groups can be offered in a variety of settings and agencies that address gender-based violence.
Many sections of the lecture will be interactive. The communication style in LATTICES is distinct; time will be spent reviewing and practicing various aspects of this unique approach. The LATTICES mnemonic will be taught, the curriculum will be introduced, and a typical group session will be reviewed in detail. Working with this collection of clients may be challenging: countertransference and staff burnout will be addressed, as well as the importance of staff building aspects of a resilience mindset to counteract burnout.
Grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy and incorporating the Risk-Need-Responsivity Principles of Effective Intervention, the LATTICES program gives a fresh approach to success with this difficult population.
Upon completion of this session, attendees will:
- understand some of the unique qualities of the LATTICES program
- have an appreciation for the Responsivity issues for
- antisocial/psychopathic/criminally-oriented clients
be familiar with the concepts of Verbal Judo and Tough Compassion
Speaker Information: Diana Groener, a Licensed Professional Counselor, has worked with violent offenders of various types in outpatient settings since 1997. She has extensive experience working with both domestic violence and sexual violence offenders as well as with criminally-oriented and psychopathic offenders. She developed a treatment program for Intimate Partner Sexual Violence offenders. She is the co-author of LATTICES: An Integrated Treatment approach for High-Risk Forensic Clients. She has presented at the state and national level on a variety of topics, such as vicarious trauma, high-risk offender treatment, Internet access for sex offenders, and on multiple topics specific to domestic violence offenders.
Date: April 17, 2025
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
IN PERSON ONLY
Location: PPA Event Center
2105 Decatur Street, Denver, CO 80211
Cost: $40
Audience: All professionals working in this field
Please refer to our TRAINING POLICY for more information on who may attend this training.
Registration will open soon!
Please refer to our TRAINING POLICY for more information on who may attend this training.
VASOR-2/SOTIPS Introduction
The Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS) is a statistically-derived dynamic measure designed to aid clinicians, correctional caseworkers, and probation and parole officers in assessing risk, treatment and supervision needs, and progress among adult male sex offenders. The Vermont Assessment of Sex Offender Risk-2 (VASOR-2) is designed to assess risk among adult males who have been convicted of at least one qualifying sex offense. This training will guide you through the SOTIPS and VASOR-2 scoring processes and assist you in learning the scoring rules of the assessments.
Please refer to our TRAINING POLICY prior to the start of this training.
WHEN: April 29 & 30, 2025
WHERE: 710 Kipling Street (2nd Floor Conference Room)
Lakewood, CO 80215
FORMAT: IN PERSON ONLY
TIME: 8:30am - 4:00pm (Both Days)
AUDIENCE: SO Providers, Community Corrections, Parole.
PLEASE NOTE: Once you are approved by SOMB Staff, you will receive a confirmation email from cdps_dcj_training@state.co.us
The SOMB continues to schedule Roundtables across the State. The purpose of Roundtables is to have discussions to improve collaboration, engagement, and the exchange of feedback between the Board and communities statewide in a safe and constructive manner. Participants come together to start a dialogue about challenges, opportunities, and ways to work together. During the afternoon, additional sessions will be offered on specialized topics.
Roundtables are open to Treatment Providers, Supervision Officers, and other professional members of Community Supervision or Multidisciplinary Treatment Teams.
On November 4, 2024, Erin Austin and Paige Brown, Implementation Specialists conducted a Roundtable in the 20th Judicial District and received this feedback from one of the participants.
“My experience with the SOMB facilitating a roundtable in my District was a very positive one. The folks who facilitated it were great and they created a positive environment for everyone. It provided the opportunity to have a lot of great discussion both in smaller groups and with the entire audience. I loved seeing folks in person, most of whom I knew, but there were a few I was meeting for the first time which was really cool. I liked that there were good breaks and over lunch where folks could just mingle and chat. People felt comfortable expressing themselves and I thought the Roundtable helped engender a sense of comradery amongst everyone in the room. The afternoon part of the Roundtable was less interactive but the facilitators did a nice job providing some information and training around specific topics that had come up in the morning session. My team came away from the Roundtable feeling good about the experience and hoping we could continue with the momentum we felt it created.”
In November 2022, the SOMB approved an informational document regarding Housing Barriers for Sex Offenders. This paper was meant to provide information and education to the community regarding how housing instability is a public safety concern as it creates barriers to employment, community stability, and developing positive social networks and support systems. Research indicates these factors are all important influences in building a positive and safe life. To learn more, please review this Housing Paper or visit the SOMB website. For questions or training requests, please contact cdps_dcj_training@state.co.us
In an effort to continue to work toward bridging the gap between SOMB approved providers and victim representatives, the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault has made a request for providers to complete this survey and/or pass this survey along to victim representatives in their area.
Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJjJlh-q4gtudZYgDou3B0p-1C_VXS2oR0ATQEJX2zsuHYNg/viewform?usp=header
For further information or questions regarding this survey, please contact Casey Ballinger at casey@ccasa.org
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