Northglenn Crisis Response Unit reports hundreds of interventions, seeks federal funding

Northglenn's crisis response unit told City Council on June 15 that it has continued to expand services across crisis intervention, homelessness assistance and targeted violence prevention and is seeking federal support to sustain staffing.

"Since January 1 to May 31," Crisis Response Unit Program Manager Jessica Halls said, "we provided roughly 1,478 crisis intervention services, about 800 homelessness interventions, and 84 targeted violence prevention services," reading figures from the unit's slides. Halls said those counts include field responses, case management sessions and outreach the unit has done with partners across the region.

The unit operates with a budget of about $571,000, Halls said, and its staffing includes one program manager and five co-responders, one of whom is grant-funded. She said the city has applied for a U.S. Department of Justice Public Safety and Mental Health Initiative grant for $940,993 to support three years of staffing, training and direct client services.

Halls described recent client cases to illustrate the unit's work. She said one elderly resident on a fixed income who experienced a basement flood was assessed for capacity, admitted briefly to a hospital for stabilization and then coordinated back with family and contractors so she could return home. Another woman who had been living in a vehicle was placed into a rapid rehousing program that provided graduated rental assistance and move-in costs.

On diversion metrics, Halls said the unit has diverted dozens of emergency-department visits and a small number of jail stays by coordinating alternative care and transport. "We have had 46 diversions from emergency departments so far up until the end of May," she said, and noted partnerships that bring private ambulance transport to detox services to keep officers on the street.

Council members praised the program and asked about regional coordination and funding. Council member Ocondo asked whether the rapid rehousing pathway involved Almost Home; Halls said Almost Home is the service provider for Adams County's rapid rehousing program and that the unit lists clients in the regional homeless management information system used to prioritize housing. Council member Mercado asked how a nearby West Pines behavioral-health facility fits into the region's response; Halls said West Pines participates in the regional threat-assessment group and can accept direct admits when a bed is available.

Halls also summarized grant and funding history. She said the unit originally used ARPA funds and a 2024 opioid settlement grant; the unit has placed clients in dual-diagnosis treatment and sober living using those resources and noted some grant money remains. Halls said the unit also received ARPA-funded regional transportation and Adams County public-health (ARPA) grants and that some grants are scheduled to end this year, prompting the DOJ application and other federal grant requests.

Council members asked about trends in targeted-violence assessments; Halls said the unit has completed 38 threat assessments since standing up that program and that cases "come in spurts," with some requiring interdisciplinary coordination and others resolving quickly.

Halls closed by asking council to consider continued funding and partnerships to sustain the unit's services. Council members reiterated praise for the unit's regional work and noted plans to track new federal opportunities.

The council did not take policy action on new funding at the meeting; the presentation concluded with applause and follow-up questions from council members about specific grant timelines and program metrics.