Catrysse Smith is the Operations Director with Forensic Services.
Since 2018, Forensic Services Operations Director Catrysse Smith has worked tirelessly to foster the administration of justice within Colorado’s Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health (OCFMH). OCFMH’s Forensic Services is responsible for conducting a variety of court-ordered sanity and competency evaluations to provide accurate and timely reports to the courts. Catrysse oversees the coordination of these evaluations from start to finish, ensuring that they will be completed successfully and within the appropriate mandated timeframes. She also facilitates communication with the courts, stakeholders and clients. “Everything starts with court services,” she says, “and we remain on clients’ cases until they’re restored.” Catrysse’s team has coordinated over 3,500 competency evaluations this year.
Not only does Catrysse facilitate communication, she strives to constantly improve it. In 2020, when the office shifted to remote work due to the pandemic, Catrysse saw her opportunity to transition the program from paper-based to an electronic format. In developing the electronic package system, she eliminated the need for physical documents to be mailed back and forth across the state, which often came through as CDs and other out-of-date technology. This not only increased efficiency, it also streamlined interactions that allowed for quick and easy discussions of cases. This work also made it possible to expand the pool of forensic evaluators to out-of-state experts as well.
As part of the Statewide Best Practices Group, Catrysse has the opportunity to work alongside the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, and other stakeholders, to develop guidelines and best practices. “Making clear guidelines aligns our offices and creates a partnership and a starting point for how we actually deal with sanity and competency related cases,” Catrysse said, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and a collaborative approach. “The guidelines are created with all stakeholders so everyone gets their priorities in.”
The work Catrysse and her team do impact defendants, victims, family members and the justice system as a whole.
From the Frontlines highlights the people who work for the Office of Civil and Forensic and Mental Health (OCFMH), operates Colorado’s two mental health hospitals, the Forensic Services Division and the Division of Mental Health Transition Living. The office provides a continuum of mental health care that includes pre-trial restoration services, inpatient hospitalization and, soon, transition homes for community-based care.