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In February, 2023, I was appointed to the Colorado Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council and placed on the Prevention and Membership Committees. BHPAC was established in accordance with federal law as directed by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the U S Department of Health & Human Services. The mandated function of BHPAC is to advise/recommend on how to best implement the Behavioral Health Federal Block Grants issued every 2 years and address key statewide policy issues related to behavioral health. BHPAC is administered under Colorado's cabinate level Behavioral Health Administration, 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."

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. Membership is mandated 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, Steering, and Membership. For more in formation about the Council, visit their website linked HERE. Watch the orientation video to learn more about BHPAC.

Colorado residents who qualify based on the criteria above, 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 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 Zoom button.

Our Community Broadcasting Network has been accepted as a member of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM). The NNLM is made up of organizations that are engaged in health and wellness in their communities. The Network Members 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 (NLM) "... 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. NLM enables researchers, clinicians, and the public to use the vast wealth of biomedical data to improve health. 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 Archieved Programs page. Click on their logos above for more information about each organization.

6 Part Series About Support Services

The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia. They lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. The 6 part series about the services offered and information on how to recognize dementia is on the Archieved Programs page. For more information about the organization, visit https://www.alz.org/.

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.