Larimer Center for Mental Health

Program Vision

The vision of the Larimer Center CJCS program is to reduce recidivism among our community’s co-occurring diagnosed and criminal justice involved clients by linking them to services that improve their quality of life and contribute to the overall safety in the community.

Program Mission

Mission of the Larimer Center CJCS program is to connect clients referred by judicial and correctional personnel with mental and behavioral health services. Case management will be used to link clients with supportive resources and supportive relationships to promote recovery, encourage responsible living and facilitate positive community involvement.

Target Population

The target population for this program is adult residents (18 and older) of Larimer County, who are mentally ill, have co-occurring substance abuse problems, are currently involved in the criminal justice system and who have low to mid-incomes.  All major mental health disorders will be considered including Psychotic Disorders, Major Affective Disorders, and Major Anxiety Disorders.

Approach

The CJCS Program utilizes an intensive case management approach to combine intensive mental health, drug and alcohol treatment with specific and targeted case management interventions designed to promote successful return to society.  The treatment services are provided via linkage to behavioral health services to throughout the community based on client need. This program will be accomplished through the execution of the following three programmatic components.

1. Assessment: Larimer Center’s CJCS will develop an assessment and intake process that identifies client’s strengths, natural supports and current needs in order to determine appropriate referrals.
2. Referral:  Larimer Center’s CJCS will identify services throughout the community for the client to access; the CJCS will follow up with both the client and the referral source to make sure services are appropriately utilized. Emphasis will be placed on linking clients to mental and behavioral health services throughout the community.
3. Interagency Collaboration, Larimer Center’s CJCS will develop close working relationships with representatives from criminal justice or social service type agencies in the community in order to facilitate coordinated care of clients.
4. Follow-up: Client contact will occur frequently and consistently to monitor further client need and client progress in treatment.

 Role

The Larimer Center for Mental Health CJCS provider ensures that clients at all points along the continuum of care are adequately served with the high intensity individualized treatments needed to achieve recovery and minimize recidivism.

The CJCS program is designed to enhance the success of community re-entry by:

1. Acting as a point of contact for criminal justice agencies
2. Coordinating access to community treatment services
3. Increasing collaboration and continuity of care between criminal justice and community agencies
4. Enhancing the State’s community re-entry efforts for offenders with mental and behavioral health disorders
5. Provide direct supportive case management services to identified clients

Intended Outcomes

Anticipated outcomes for program participants include:

1. An overall decrease in mental health symptom severity
2. A reduction in overall substance abuse behavior
3. Fewer days at inpatient psychiatric hospitals
4. Fewer days in jail (reduced recidivism)  
5. An overall reduction in cost of care for these individuals
6. An increase in client’s overall level of functioning
7. A positive contribution to the overall safety of the community

For more information, please contact the Larimer Center for Mental Health Criminal Justice Clinical Specialist Justin Shaffer, MSW, NCACI, CACIII at (970) 685-2775 or Program Director Steve Ball, LCSW at (970) 290-8672
Mailing Address (525 W. Oak St. Fort Collins, CO 80521)