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In February 2023 I was appointed to the Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council (BHPAC). I currently serve as Chair of the Membership Committee. BHPAC is administered under Colorado's cabinet level Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), whose stated purpose, vision and values are "...that all people in Colorado deserve to experience whole-person health, to make sure behavioral health services in Colorado are accessible, meaningful, and trusted, and to co-create a people-first behavioral health system that meets the needs of all people in Colorado". The establishment of a Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council is mandated in all 50 states by the federal agency, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), under the Department of Health & Human Services, to advise each state's behavioral health agencies on the best uses of the Federal Behavioral Health Block Grants, awarded every other year, and to advocate for the community-at-large on behavioral health needs.

BHPAC is a fully integrated planning and advisory council, equally inclusive of representation of mental health and substance abuse disorder issues. The membership includes people in recovery, family members, state agencies, treatment providers, advocates and other individuals who have a vested interest in Colorado's behavioral health system. The makeup of BHPAC is required to have at least 51% of the members to have lived experience with behavioral health issues. That includes people in recovery from substance abuse, in treatment/recovery for a mental health disorder, and/or their caregivers. The functioning committees are Prevention, Treatment, Recovery, Children-Youth-Family, Systems Advocacy, Block Grant, Steering, and Membership. For more information about BHPAC, visit their website linked HERE.

The orientation video has information on the functions of BHPAC and membership responsibilities. Colorado residents who qualify based on the membership criteria, may apply to join BHPAC. Click on the Membership Application button to access the online application. The Behavioral Health Planning & Advisory Council meets the first Thursday of the month from 9 AM to 11 AM, and is open to the public. All meetings can be accessed on the Zoom platform. To join a meeting as a guest, click on the BHPAC Zoom Meeting button.

Our Community Broadcasting Network (OCBN) has been appointed as a Network Member of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) for OCBN's work with the CU Anschutz Medical Campus to showcase the research, treatment, and medical training being done there. The Network Members of the NLM consist of organizations that are engaged in health and wellness in their communities.

The Network Members of the NLM provide health information resources and services to health professionals, academic communities, and the general public. The health information is provided by libraries, information centers, health departments, K-12 schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and other organizations providing information about health to the public.The mission of the National Library of Medicine "... is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health by providing all U S health professionals with equal access to biomedical information and improving the public's access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health". The NLM is the world’s largest biomedical library and a leader in research in computational health informatics. NLM plays a pivotal role in translating biomedical research into practice. NLM’s research and information services support scientific discovery, health care, and public health. NLM pioneers new ways to make biomedical data and information more accessible; builds tools for better data management and personal health; and helps create a more diverse and data-skilled workforce. The NLM enables researchers, clinicians, and the public to use the vast wealth of biomedical data to improve health. The NLM’s cutting-edge research and training programs—with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, computational biology, and biomedical informatics and health data standards—help catalyze basic biomedical science, data-driven discovery, and health care delivery. For more information about the National Library of Medicine visit https://www.nlm.nih.gov/.

World-Class Healthcare & Medical Research Centers

The ​University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is the largest academic health center in the Rocky Mountain region at the forefront of transformative education, science, medicine and healthcare. The campus includes the University of Colorado health professional schools, multiple centers and institutes and two nationally ranked hospitals, UCHealth Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado, which treat nearly 2 million patients each year. All interconnected, these organizations collaboratively improve the quality of patient care they deliver, research they conduct and health professionals they train. Powered by state-of-the-art facilities on a growing campus with a dynamic vision for the future, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is uniquely equipped to lead health discoveries and treatment.
Interviews with leading doctors of neurology present us with the issues around brain health and treatment. These doctors treat patients, engage in brain research and also teach future neurologists. This multifaceted approach gives the best outcomes in understanding and treating the brain and nervious system. The campus' Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Enguagement aspire to build a medical campus community that thrives on diversity, equity, inclusion and community engagement; strives to eliminate social injustices and health disparities through measurable commitments, strategic, systemic and sustainable systems of accountability; and demonstrates trust and respect for all through inclusive practices and policies. Interviews and program presentations about their work can be viewed on the Family Medicine Podcasts and DEI Podcasts pages. Click on their logos above for more information about each organization.

The University of Colorado Alzheimer's and Cognition Center has created the Geriatric Mental Health Clinic as part of UC Health Hospital system and details it in the UC Health Today article, Geriatric Mental Health Clinic is a Resource for Those with Neurologic Mental Health Disorders, by Tyler Smith. The article discribes the practice of using coordinated care when dealing with mental health issues for older adults. I was interviewed for the story to discribe the care my wife Sue, is recieving at the clinic. "These physical brain battles may, in turn, intertwine with psychiatric problems, like depression, anxiety, psychosis, and emotional demands posed by aging. It’s unwise to treat them separately." states Dr Samantha Holden, Medical Director at the CU Alzheimer's & Cognition Center's Memory Disorders Clinic at UC Health. Dr Holden is part of the team treating Sue that practices at UC Health specializing in movement, psychiatric and cognition disorders. Click on the image below to access the article. For more information about the University of Colorado Alzheimer's & Cognition Center, visit https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/alzheimer.