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LINKS is unique in the history of behavioral health system reform in Colorado because it fully engages communities, youth and families – not only in developing the plan for reform, but in playing leadership roles in implementation and long-term activities within the system. It is not state government doing “business as usual,” but rather it is those affected the most by state government becoming active participants in opportunities to improve and enhance the current and future system.
LINKS MISSION: To promote partnerships among state agencies and key stakeholder groups by weaving together existing efforts to create a more coordinated continuum of mental health services for Colorado children, youth, and families.
- Integrate existing behavioral health efforts at the state and local level
- Engage family and youth involvement in policymaking
- Streamline and integrate budgets, funding, & finance
LINKS Partner Agencies
Funding
LINKS is funded through October of 2009 through a grant the Colorado Health Foundation, and received funding earlier in its timeline from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Matching funds for specific project components have come from the Prevention Leadership Council, the Division of Mental Health of the Colorado Department of Human Services, the Child, Adolescent and School Health Unit of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Exceptional Student Services Unit of the Colorado Department of Education, Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council, The Colorado Juvenile Justice / Mental Health Action Network Grant (MacArthur Foundation) through the Division of Criminal Justice, The Youth Partnership for Health, The Colorado Department of Education, the Mentally Ill in the Justice System Task Force, and the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health ~ Colorado Chapter.
LINKS Project Director and Staff
The project director of the LINKS Initiative is José Esquibel of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Prevention Services Division. For more information, please contact him at j.esquibel@state.co.us.
LINKS is staffed by the Center for Systems Integration (CSI). For more information about CSI, please contact Jewlya@csi-policy.org or go to http://www.csi-policy.org.
For regularly updated information about LINKS, please go to http://www.csi-policy.org/links/.
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