Episode 47: Building Community Infrastructure for Behavioral Health - A Conversation with Dr. Kenneth Minkoff

On this episode of Collaborative Solutions (August 20, 2025), hosts Barry Feaker, Misty Bosch-Hastings, and Brett Hartford welcome special guest Dr. Kenneth Minkoff, a nationally recognized leader in psychiatry, addiction, and system design for behavioral health. Dr. Minkoff shares insights on how Douglas County became connected to his work through the Roadmap to the Ideal Crisis System, and he emphasizes the importance of building proactive, community-wide crisis response networks that treat behavioral health as essential infrastructure—on par with police, fire, and EMS. The conversation highlights Lawrence’s progress in reducing homelessness, the role of outreach teams in engaging people with complex needs, and the value of small, compassionate steps that build trust and long-term stability. Dr. Minkoff also cautions against framing behavioral health investment only in terms of cost savings, stressing instead that effective crisis care is a fundamental community responsibility.