There is still a long way to go to solve the children and youth mental health crisis in Colorado. But there are many hardworking people creating solutions across our state. One such person is the Director of Human Services for Weld County, Jamie Ulrich, and she joins us today to share her journey to direct service, day-to-day problem-solving work, and insights on what is most needed in our state. Unpacking what children and youth are struggling with most, Jamie highlights the need to establish better lower levels of care and step-down placements. She also gets into the weeds with how we can bring strategies that are working in other states to Colorado so that we don’t have to send children and youth out of state to receive the care that they need. Next, Jamie shares why she sees the Settlement Agreement as a starting point and a positive stepping stone to eventually get to our overall comprehensive system of care. She also outlines her view on what is truly at stake when kids do not receive the support and care that they need. Tune in to hear the first-hand account of someone truly working hard to end Colarado’s youth mental health crisis.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Weld County Director of Human Services Jamie Ulrich unpacks the details of her day-to-day job.
- What drew Jamie to direct service and helping the people in her community.
- Unpacking the areas of Weld County and how it is structured.
- How the Department supports children and youth with a focus on economic support.
- The most common front door for kids to enter into Jamie’s programs.
- Biggest frustrations faced by the department: the lack of services and placements.
- Navigating through the complex system of support.
- Insights on what children and youth are struggling with today.
- Emphasizing that we should not be sending children out of state to receive the services that they need.
- Understanding the variety of challenges faced by our youth across America.
- The need to become experts in youth needs and available facilities specific to your county.
- Why it is necessary to see a decline in the number of youth living in stopgap settings.
- Senate Bill 59 and what originally led to its creation.
- Support, funding, and advocacy for the Bill.
- Scaling support based on the Medicaid population for the insured and underinsured.
- How counties are working towards ensuring that this work happens and happens well in the State of Colorado.
- What is truly at stake when kids do not receive the support and care that they need.
- Jamie’s hope for what the Settlement Agreement will mean for the youth of Colorado.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Weld County Department of Human Services
Colorado Department of Human Services
Speak Our Minds on Instagram
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