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Office News and Updates | May 2024 |
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Letter from Leora
May has been a special month for us so far for two reasons: we celebrated Public Service Recognition Week and Mental Health Month! It’s fitting that the two are celebrated simultaneously, as Coloradans benefit greatly from the work we do every day to improve, address and treat mental health conditions. Our staff work overtime, on weekends, overnight and on holidays to take care of our patients and clients. The work never stops, but I hope this month you are able to take some time to commend yourselves for the life-changing work you do. All of us at OCFMH, CDHS and the state as a whole are grateful for your service.
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Mental Health Month also encourages us to take a step back and take care of our own well-being. We all deal with stressful situations, so this month, I encourage you to do something positive for your mental health. One of the things I’m focusing on this month is leaning on friends and family when I need extra support. Professionally, I’m focusing on continuing to expand access to mental health treatment through our Mental Health Transitional Living Homes, Mental Health Hospitals and Forensic Services. What are you doing this month, both personally and professionally, to prioritize your well-being and advocate for mental health support?
We also wrapped up this year’s legislative session and a comprehensive overview of our initiatives are listed in this newsletter. We are pleased with the progress that has been made and are grateful to the legislators who continue to advocate for and advance policies to ensure the most vulnerable Coloradans have access to care.
I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of the OCFMH newsletter, and the weather that is finally heating up!
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— Leora Joseph, director of OCFMH
Updates from Offices
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CMHHIFL
May has been designated “Mental Health Month” and we would like to remind all behavioral health care staff the importance of exploring ways in which we can care for ourselves. You know the old saying, "you can’t pour from an empty vessel.”
Here are 5 things you can do for your mental health this week:
- Make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for today.
- Practice positive affirmations.
- Start a conversation about mental health.
- Stay hydrated!
- Take a break from screens.
Get more help navigating tough conversations on MHA’s Mental Health Month page.
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CMHHIP
We would also like to congratulate two additional staff members from the Department of Public Safety who were awarded the Annual Southern Colorado Law Enforcement Award (SCLEA). Paula Collins was awarded the Non-Commissioned Law Enforcement Personnel of the Year.
"Ms. Collins is always a consummate professional who consistently puts the clients, staff, officers, and her dispatchers first."
Lieutenant Christian McCarty was awarded the Uniformed Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.
"Lt. McCarty has always been a role model, invaluable to the team and the idea of what a police officer is supposed to be. His continued support of the constant changes that have occurred in the department has been invaluable to the clients he serves."
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Mental Health Transitional Living Homes
May has been an absolutely incredible month! We celebrated our amazing team by getting together for a fun-filled "Spring Fling" complete with delicious food and a creative craft project that brought us all closer together. We also took time to honor the importance of Mental Health Awareness Month. As we reflected as a team, we discovered a heartwarming common thread that keeps us centered: the unconditional love and joy of our furry friends. Amongst our small but mighty team, we're lucky to have many beloved pets who bring us laughter and brighten our days.
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But it's not all play and no work! When we're not snapping adorable photos of our pets, we're hard at work preparing several homes for opening, navigating renovations at the state-run homes, and excitedly interviewing for leadership positions that will shape the future of our state-run homes. Stay tuned for updates on these thrilling developments!
Inspiration Corner:
The inspiration is truly overflowing within our homes! We're beyond thrilled to share that one of the very first admissions to our Silver Maple Home back in October has now taken the triumphant step of successfully moving forward on her journey this month. This brave individual was a mix of nerves and excitement as she prepared to embrace the next chapter. As she said goodbye, she touched our hearts with her words: “I have received a tremendous amount of support from this program”. When we asked what had made the biggest impact on her, she glowed with gratitude for the mindfulness groups that had become a source of strength for her.
Moments like these are a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of the work we do! Our dedication, compassion, and belief in the potential of every individual creates ripples of positive change that extend far beyond our walls.
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Forensic Support Team
In April 2024, the Forensic Navigators provided care coordination to 959 individuals and had 3,052 collateral contacts with community, jails and court stakeholders.
FST continues to partner with Fines Committee funded programming. As of April 2024, FST housed 47 clients with Embark Renaissance Assisted Living Program, Embark Recovery, Ananeo Sober Living, Monarch Sober Living, Cypress Cares SNF.
Jail-Based Restoration
The average length of stay for clients in the past month is:
- 120 days for restoration to competency
- 382 days for charges dismissed
- 32 days for transfers
- 44 days for inpatient orders terminated
- 106 days for on bond
- 52 days for SAN
- 397 days for bond-outpatient clients
Additional information about the breakdown per program can be provided upon request.
The below bed utilization percentage considers patients physically in programs and outstanding bed offers. The percentage of bed utilization for April is as follows:
- Arapahoe RISE: 98.7%
- Boulder RISE: 99.8%
- DRTU: 98%
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Court Services
Court Services completed 521 evaluations in April.
Outpatient Restoration
Outpatient Restoration Outcomes for April 2024:
- Case Dismissed: 24%
- Found not restorable by court: 20%
- Restored to competency: 29%
- Services stopped by court: 4%
- Transferred to hospital level of care: 23%
Update from the Length of Stay Project
Total of 127 cases reviewed as of April 30.
- # of cases opened: 112
- # of cases actively following: 35
- # of cases resolved: 76
Breakdown of cases
- Mental health/SUD related barriers: 79
- Cognitive barriers/IDD barriers: 33
Forensic Community Based Services
FCBS has reached out to judicial stakeholders to participate in the creation of bench cards for Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity adjudications and processes. We are trying to get our first meeting scheduled by the close of May.
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From the Frontlines: Catrysse Smith
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In an effort to recognize the incredible contributions of our staff, we are launching a monthly staff spotlight titled From the Frontlines. This month, we are featuring Catrysse Smith, the Operations Director with Forensic Services. |
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Legislative Update
The 2024 legislative session is officially over. We are pleased to say that a majority of our budget requests were fully funded for the coming fiscal years. A breakdown of those requests and their impacts are below. On the legislative side, OCFMH did not run any bills this year, but we collaborated with many legislators and key stakeholders on bills such as HB 24-1034: Adult Competency to Stand Trial and HB 24-1355 Measures to Reduce the Competency Wait List. Both bills have passed the legislature, demonstrating great investments in our capacity, and other departments' capacity, to address the competency crisis. The legislature's attention to finding viable solutions is encouraging.
OCFMH made the following budget requests for FY 2024-25 and future fiscal years, which the Colorado General Assembly and Governor approved in April of 2024.
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Increase Psychiatric Beds to Reduce the Competency Restoration Waitlist and Comply with the Consent Decree: OCFMH requested ongoing funding to staff 82 more beds in 3 units closed at CMHHIFL and CMHHIP due to the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare worker shortage. This request would also maintain existing medical and behavioral health staffing levels at these state hospitals on an ongoing basis, and fund up to 80 forensic beds at private hospitals over the next two fiscal years. Although the General Assembly had to reduce the amount of the request in order to balance the state budget, OCFMH received nearly all of the funds requested and expects to meet the goals of the request.
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Kitchen Replacement at Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo: Funds Phase 1 of a project to replace CMHHIP’s central kitchen with a state of the art commissary kitchen with more space for meal production, new equipment, and utilization of modern techniques for food service delivery. Building a new kitchen will ensure CMHHIP can continue providing 1.8 million meals annually to 1,700 CDHS clients and Department of Corrections inmates.
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OCFMH Information Management Systems and Data Reporting: Funds Phase 2 of a project to develop and enhance OCFMH’s data and information systems. These changes will make it easier for clinical and forensic staff to access judicial and medical information in information systems that are integrated rather than fragmented.
OCFMH collaborated with stakeholders and legislators on the following bills related to competency:
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HB 24-1034 makes changes to existing competency statutes regarding information in competency evaluation reports, procedures for competency restoration hearings, and time limits on confinement for defendants found incompetent to proceed based on their charges.
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HB 24-1355 establishes a new statewide wraparound program to divert defendants from the criminal justice system and into mental health services if they are likely to be found incompetent to proceed with their criminal trials.
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May 5-11 was Public Service Recognition Week, and OCFMH celebrated across all of our campuses! From breakfast bars to photo booths and sweet swag, we hope you were able to enjoy yourselves. Thank you for all that you do for our office, your colleagues and the Coloradans we serve! |
Governor Polis Declares May 5-11, 2024, as Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness Week
Governor Polis signed a proclamation recognizing May 5-11, 2024, as Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness Week to help increase awareness and support people living with this burdensome condition.
TD is a persistent, involuntary movement disorder that is characterized by uncontrollable, abnormal and repetitive movements of the face, torso, limbs, and fingers or toes. TD is associated with prolonged use of antipsychotic medication that may be necessary to treat individuals living with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
There are approximately 600,000 people in the United States living with TD, and approximately 65 percent have not yet been diagnosed. Routine TD screening of people at risk can help.
By supporting TD Awareness Week, Colorado is helping to raise awareness regarding:
- The impact TD can have on a person’s physical, emotional and social well-being.
- The signs and symptoms associated with TD.
- The importance of routine screening for TD and working with one’s doctor to manage the condition, including talking about available treatment options.
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