Broomfield officials are expanding access to behavior health services. As part of the effort, Community Reach Center on Oct. 7 began seeing clients at its new space on the second floor of the Health and Human Services Building, 100 Spader Way.

The offices were formerly occupied with Mental Health Partners, a Boulder-based organization that still will serve Broomfield patients at its new offices at 799 U.S. 287, Suite F and 899 U.S. 287, Suite 300 in Broomfield.

“Broomfield residents have voiced a compelling need for enhanced and expanded access to mental health and substance use disorder services, collectively known as behavioral health services,” said Jennifer Hoffman, city and county manager. “Broomfield is excited to announce an innovative and collaborative open-access approach to delivering the best possible behavioral health services to Broomfield residents.”

Mental Health Partners will continue to provide services to Broomfield’s Medicaid and uninsured/indigent population, as well as contract with Health and Human Service’s Child Welfare Division for in-home behavioral health services.

Broomfield is the sixth community where Community Reach Center has opened offices, following Thornton, Westminster, Northglenn, Commerce City and Brighton.

Representatives from the service provider held an open house Oct. 4 to welcome the community into the new space, which will initially house four therapists.

Those professionals come from different backgrounds, from addiction counseling and intensive residential treatment to family and individual therapy, said Daniela Rossi, program manger. The provider accepts commercial and private insurance plus Medicare and Medicaid. It also has a sliding-fee scale for patients who are not covered and cannot pay their medical bills.

The second floor has rooms for nurses, therapists and a medical provider along with a space for group therapy sessions. Nurses and a medical provider are expected to start at the end of October.

Rossi said the organization will assess what kind of caseload increase it experiences from Broomfield patients and will adjust staffing accordingly. In the future, officials hope to have peer coaching services and a more formal case management program, although the therapists still will help clients. Case managers could further help clients file paper work and navigate systems to put them in touch with primary care physicians, dentists or whatever else they need.

Behavior health services, which include access to mental health and substance use disorder services, was identified as a top priority for the Broomfield community, Broomfield City Council and Health and Human Services. It has also been identified as a priority focus in the Broomfield Public Health Community Health Improvement Plan.

At a recent council candidate forum, several candidates running for Broomfield City Council in the upcoming election raised concerns about wait times for mental health services.

Community Reach Center – which before opening the office – served only Adams County, provides services through the 17th Judicial District for court-ordered competency restoration service. It also contracts with Broomfield Health and Human Services Child Welfare for substance abuse disorder services.

The office will offer intake, assessment, outpatient and case management at the Broomfield location.

Mental health care in the detention facility is part of the healthcare contract with Health Care Partner Foundation, which recently experienced staffing difficulties and was unable to fully meet the increasing level of mental health demands from inmates, according to the city.

An opportunity to include mental health services provided by Community Reach Center increases the level of inmate care, expedites initial assessments, and provides a transition to community-based services when inmates are released.

To ensure a transition and avoid duplication of services and contracts, Broomfield has been coordinating with the Colorado Department of Human Services’ designated substance abuse and crisis services administrative organization for the region.

“Quality client care remains of utmost importance to MHP, and we are committed to our Broomfield residents who rely on our mission and vision, as well as our team to provide value to the community through the breadth of behavioral health services,” Hans Wiik, Interim CEO at Mental Health Partners said. “MHP is excited about this new location and the opportunity it brings for the expansion of our team, programs and services offered to all Broomfield residents.”



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