LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26, 2022) — The Colorado Division of Youth Services has received the National Commission on Correctional Health Care's prestigious 2022 Program of the Year award. The award, which went to DYS's Behavioral Health Services and Programming unit, is presented each year to only one facility program among the 500 jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities participating in NCCHC's nationwide accreditation program.
The award was presented at a ceremony on Monday in Las Vegas during the 36th National Conference on Correctional Health Care. Nearly 1,500 people from across the country were in attendance. The award includes all 10 Colorado accredited sites encompassing 15 secure state-operated youth centers. All Colorado DYS youth centers are accredited by NCCHC, which puts Colorado at the forefront of integrated and comprehensive health care services for the youth in care.
"We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which shows our dedication to the care of youth, and the expertise our DYS team possesses to assist youth in getting their lives back on the right track to reduce the chance of future recidivism," said DYS Director Anders Jacobson. “Our partnership with NCCHC has allowed us to grow and develop our medical and behavioral health services to an impressive level. This partnership has brought a high level of professionalism and enhanced services to the youth we serve."
NCCHC correctional health care standards and its accreditation program are considered to be the most rigorous in the United States. DYS is among an elite group in the U.S. that have earned NCCHC accreditation. NCCHC accreditation means that a facility meets nationally established and accepted standards for providing medical, mental health, behavioral health, line staff services, and administrative services. In addition, DYS focuses on an integrated and collaborative healthcare approach.
Within DYS, 60% of youth have co-occurring treatment needs, 67% require formal mental health intervention, and 89% require treatment-level services for substance use.
"NCCHC has been an amazing partner to the Colorado Division of Youth Services since the first contact. They care about our success and have helped connect us to resources and the network of youth-serving systems committed to excellence," said Ashley Tunstall, DYS director of Behavioral Health and Medical Services, who accepted the award on behalf of the DYS staff.
DYS provides for the care and supervision of youth committed by District Court to the custody of CDHS. DYS operates 15 secure youth centers that serve youth between the ages of 10-21 who are pre-adjudicated or committed. In addition to residential programming, DYS administers juvenile parole services throughout Colorado.
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About the Division of Youth Services Behavioral Health & Medical Services Unit
The Behavioral Health & Medical Services Unit incorporates the collective knowledge of highly qualified, trained professional staff. These team members provide an integrated health services system of evidence-based or informed practices and services to assist youth in the juvenile justice system and their families. DYS oversees services to each youth, including the right type and intensity of assessment, medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment, psychiatry, psychological and neuro-psychological evaluation services and sex offense-specific treatment. Services provided are individualized, strengths-based, comprehensive, and delivered at the dosage that matches needs. The unit upholds the highest level of health care services within each youth center that meets or exceeds community standards. The services include providing a team of board-certified psychiatrists and external specialty care networks to promote youths' health. DYS maintains the highest level of confidentiality and security of protected health information while ensuring appropriate participation in interdisciplinary teams for care planning. Community collaborations and a solid multidisciplinary focus allow us to surmount challenges, develop opportunities and demonstrate a high level of accountability in resource allocation.
About the National Commission on Correctional Health Care
The mission of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is to improve the quality of health care in jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities. NCCHC establishes standards for health services in correctional facilities, operates a voluntary accreditation program for institutions that meet those standards, produces and disseminates resource publications, conducts educational conferences, and offers a certification program for correctional health professionals. NCCHC is supported by the major national organizations representing the fields of health, mental health, law and corrections. Each of those organizations has named a liaison to the NCCHC board of representatives to create a robust, multidisciplinary governing structure that reflects the complexities of correctional health care.
NCCHC Supporting Organizations
Academy of Correctional Health Professionals, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of PAs, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Bar Association, American College of Correctional Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Healthcare Executives, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American Counseling Association, American Dental Association, American Health Information Management Association, American Jail Association, American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Pharmacists Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, National Association of Counties, National Association of Social Workers, National Medical Association, National Sheriffs' Association, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
Media contact:
Madlynn Ruble
Deputy Director of Communications
madlynn.ruble@state.co.us
303.253.4047