[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6308175,"mediaKeyId","2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100","parentId",2424836,"title","Volunteers of America and Albany Care Team describe regional mental-health, stabilization and housing services","audioSeconds",1921,"startMs",5473000,"endMs",7394000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100&start=5473&end=7394","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100/thumbnail_5473000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6308175/Wyoming/Volunteers-of-America-and-Albany-Care-Team-describe-regional-mental-health-stabilization-and-housing-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308175-fca2e0faa1256406d48c6667ae01a1ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1775179518&Signature=iujkhG3EpI1~8b5w15qarlo~q5NUpn9JZAToa8HhMGYjQLfUFwpoRZUxK20wJmjOhgHHCkxXfCkIaKCXHoiJ0HlfLyCt2W-bBhm9i1rSE0grtf8IQobBbfAUBBxQvwnr5iuwQ5PB2NKFwRxv9IyMJDxhKISL6Jxlvnzoqd7LRAbIIGWBSADyXq9pNIbz-giZMzHPT6jMjeOYeldiSYVxoSSjpmpgyodXNtvj3XTS83329DXNUHtLN-IPd1Kzx3ZrkXtsU3CwISz-sTyQK4d8fz3QCiF0rZDjL5t-4P4NpEvZR9lEtmhVtQzUxmGGdQmPJS25mXsPf-wIJiXiK~mZqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Laramie MY","date","2025-02-26T03:25:17Z","article","Kristen (last name not specified), regional director for Volunteers of America (VOA) Wyoming-Montana-South Dakota, and Heather Lismore, the Albany Care Team community crisis case manager, briefed the Laramie City Council on Feb. 25 about VOA services and the local Albany Care Team program.

\"Our vision at VOA is everyone living in the fullness of a healthy mind, body, and spirit,\" Kristen said as she described VOA's regional outpatient clinics, telehealth capacity, medication providers and inpatient beds in nearby counties.

Kristen said VOA operates community mental-health clinics in nine Wyoming towns and offers outpatient therapy, case management, skills training and peer specialist services (via telehealth in the southern region). She described plans and recent expansions including a new legacy building in Cheyenne that will add inpatient substance-use treatment beds and social-detox and expansion of crisis-stabilization capacity at Serenity Place.

Kristen described VOA's gatekeeping program — funded by Albany County — that accepts high-risk individuals detained under \"Title 25\" and provides intensive case management. \"When they're in this program, they work with Megan Jackson who is my gatekeeper ... she wraps around those individuals and follows them for up to 2 years,\" Kristen said.

Heather Lismore described Albany Care Team outcomes since the program began in February 2024. She said the program has received 73 referrals, with more than 60 clients currently active, and has provided co-response with law-enforcement partners, helped clients access housing and benefits and connected people with community resources. \"Through the Albany Cares team program, we've been able to help many individuals in our community who are dealing with mental health challenges that we may not have had contact with otherwise,\" Heather said, and gave a case example of a client who applied for disability, engaged in services and connected to housing and food assistance.

Council members and the mayor praised VOA and the Albany Care Team for coordination with the police department and the University of Wyoming Police Department. Councilors asked about court-mandated programs; Kristen said the domestic-violence offenders program is frequently court-ordered and clinicians provide assessments and treatment recommendations.

Kristen noted local VOA housing inventory in Laramie (31 apartments across three complexes) and other low-income or staffed residential options across the region. She described partnerships with Serenity Place for crisis stabilization and said some services require voluntary engagement.

Ending — Council members commended VOA and the Albany Care Team for building co-responder capacity, expanding regional bed capacity and supporting vulnerable residents; VOA staff asked the council and community to continue partnerships and funding support as the programs grow.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 25h, 2025, Laramie, Wyoming - City Government Live Stream","oneSentenceSummary","Volunteers of America presenters described the Albany Care Team (ACT) program, local outpatient and residential options, the gatekeeping program tied to Title 25 detentions, and how co-responder and CIT training support mental-health crisis care in Albany County.","taxTitle","Laramie City Council, Laramie City, Albany County, Wyoming","taxId",68475,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6308180,"Laramie police report three potential bias-related crimes in 2024, urge reporting and explain NIBRS transition",1695,3976000,5671000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100&start=3976&end=5671","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100/thumbnail_3976000.jpg","/articles/6308180/Wyoming/Laramie-police-report-three-potential-bias-related-crimes-in-2024-urge-reporting-and-explain-NIBRS-transition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308180-72bd025581a4739fd4eccc6a82153c90/orig.mp4?Expires=1775179518&Signature=aNPOHCDl1dBLS9IlP919ObH2VbPN8VTCnI4wDKFB76uiSvj~f5uiOgVOnqmUWKGC4MtPmmI2lvSnj7Rjb~SEWqGtFpFtNAOiN3E9mHeNhFb6e~72ufCY6Y54wBqCpHrenOD1BdUsTChOTS6mOFNIXByq85Dvkt5So-h5eG6VSmnAO~sztcom7ONo72H2FI4hWt5ll6qE3TC3UJRg6xLWXdFhpMaKxtwe6VrCIOhx3TRDJjZX~vPX5yiYtB4~VoW9QRLCDrtIFOiJVNeKfCBwHsJI3fkVBuVLQ40kI2YAzLo2~Mqn88iIgpsN2ZlVZG1zjuYFq23XeQyT5e4xACPDhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laramie Police Chief Christopher Brown presented the department's annual bias-crime and bias-incident report to the City Council on Feb. 25, saying the city ordinance requires the department to provide an annual summary.

\"City of Laramie ordinance 9.0802 requires that the police department and the chief of police or his designee provide an annual report in regards to our bias crime collection and also our bias incidents within the city,\" Brown said.

Brown explained the difference between a bias incident and a bias crime, saying an \"incident is something that may not rise to the level of a crime\" and that some speech is constitutionally protected. He noted the national changeover from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and told council members that NIBRS breaks offenses into more granular categories.

For 2024, the Laramie Police Department recorded three potentially bias-related crimes and no documented bias incidents reported to the department, Brown said. He described the three reports as follows: one incident that led to citations for disorderly conduct and harassment (which Brown said he could confirm was bias-related) and two other reports that the department could not substantively link to bias due to lack of suspects or footage — a flag found on the ground and a windshield-wiper broken on a vehicle. In both cases the department logged the reports to give federal partners access for further review.

Brown told council members that the accuracy of reported bias incidents is limited by what community members report and by reporting practices elsewhere: \"If community members are not comfortable reporting crimes to the police department, then we may not have some of that data. Specifically, bias incidents, are extremely incredibly difficult to track.\" He also said the department's records system is robust and that extracting the report is largely a matter of staff time.

Council members asked about reporting options and protections; Brown said the city's online reporting tool can accept anonymous submissions and that residents may also report concerns to city officials who will forward them to police. He said the department routinely forwards potential threats and ongoing concerns to state and federal partners through Wyoming's fusion center and the Department of Criminal Investigation.

Public commenter Linda Devine praised the police chief and urged continued outreach and tracking for incidents that harm residents without rising to criminal charges. Brown encouraged residents to contact police or city officials when they see possible bias-related incidents to allow the department to document and vet them.

Ending — Brown closed by reminding the public the department is available to discuss suspected bias incidents and that accurate tracking depends on community reporting; councilors thanked him for the report and asked staff to continue outreach on reporting options.","Chief Brown briefed the council on the department's annual bias-crime report, described three potentially bias-motivated crime reports for 2024 and explained data limits tied to the national transition from UCR to NIBRS.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6308183,"Local trafficking task force outlines how abuse appears in Wyoming and gaps in victim services",2926,912000,3838000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100&start=912&end=3838","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2424836-9beb8c4421b34c015b678ac88617e100/thumbnail_912000.jpg","/articles/6308183/Wyoming/Local-trafficking-task-force-outlines-how-abuse-appears-in-Wyoming-and-gaps-in-victim-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308183-16f20925b714b83502dc095713e845b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775179518&Signature=ZzmUgVWX5Q6sxBurPU4uvcErYiHw4uWJZ79ylgr0lRn~71WL8gyNXxH2PRxOf23ryaz~Vl7vnbedHekrM7OYjKiwO6-oXwEdWCODoZfpjUN~gQQfRs6DW7v04vYSAPwPIjEghsznGEmKk0FEnmUsWO~Hu6TjLhbhX1RbmIdCGr5gVjCMnszzV8EL~iOyAeRaMWoqoz6BqotseP6FZUAnW0x2GtqLKVUMsCZrOEBQsqBepAx~kVN5QdcMqOrGrukhYnUHBi-yVyO5BcnnGYRCv7UY4v99igQm1C808vAjRFUe4-NZdzrTXTWejYrJhW74KtbKWHrS3lW27wU-fWPs0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Justin Scott, executive director of the Albany County Council on Trafficking (ACT), told the Laramie City Council on Feb. 25 that human trafficking in Wyoming \"looks different than what we see in Hollywood\" and described multiple local patterns, including pimp-driven commercial sex, familial trafficking and illicit massage businesses.

Scott said some trafficking in Wyoming is \"demand driven\" and often takes place through online circuits and transient stays at truck stops and events. He described patterns in which victims are moved through a series of towns for short stays, and cited cases and stings in Cheyenne and other communities. \"We have a lot of circuits,\" he said, explaining how victims can travel through multiple towns and return across state lines.

The presentation emphasized that certain forms of trafficking in Wyoming involve familial exploitation and debts tied to drugs or gangs. Scott also described illicit massage businesses that recruit foreign women through debt-bondage; he said traffickers sometimes seize legal documents, set up shared bank accounts and add fees for basic needs into the victims' debts.

Scott and Mitch Cushman, president of ACT's board, outlined ACT's structure. They said the task force was formed roughly three years ago and organized itself around five pillars borrowed from Department of Justice and International Association of Chiefs of Police guidance: prevention, identification, rescue, restoration and reforms. Scott said ACT has a prevention team, a rescue team and other work groups to cover those areas.

Council members asked about local scope and resources. Councilor Newman asked, \"Do you know how many gangs are identified here in Laramie?\" Scott replied, \"No. I can't identify that question.\" On victim services, Scott said bluntly: \"The answer is absolutely nothing. There are very minimal resources for our victims in our community, in our community statewide.\" He added that ACT is developing volunteers and pursuing grants to provide case management, teletherapy and other supports; he said ACT had recently provided two weeks of care to one survivor outside Laramie.

Councilors and other speakers discussed outreach measures. Councilor Lockhart asked whether event signage and bathroom posters help; Scott said posters and outreach at events are part of ACT's identification work. Councilor Bowling asked what follow-up services are available after law enforcement actions in places like Casper and Rock Springs; Scott said federal and national partner organizations provide translators and other supports in some cases, and ACT has about 27–30 volunteers willing to help survivors statewide.

Public commenter Reverend Dr. Sally Palmer, who spoke during both the non-agenda and agenda public comment periods, praised local organizations such as SafeHouse and the Lincoln Community Center and urged cooperation across the county.

Scott urged caution about sensationalized portrayals of trafficking and said prevention work must start with education and realistic indicators. He named the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) as a federal source of cyber tips, and described online buyer marketplaces and third-party criminal organizations he said were involved in some illicit massage operations.

ACT officials asked for partnership with local groups and noted the need for sustained funding to expand outreach, long-term housing and other victim services.

Ending — The council thanked ACT for the presentation; members and staff said they would continue to work with ACT, and Scott and Cushman left contact information for residents and officials who want to support prevention and survivor services.","Speakers from the Albany County Council on Trafficking told the Laramie City Council that human trafficking in Wyoming often looks different than in popular media, described common local forms of trafficking and said victim services in the state are minimal.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Volunteers of America and Albany Care Team describe regional mental-health, stabilization and housing services

Laramie police report three potential bias-related crimes in 2024, urge reporting and explain NIBRS transition

Local trafficking task force outlines how abuse appears in Wyoming and gaps in victim services