LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26, 2022) — The Colorado Division of Youth Services has received the National Commission on Correctional Health Care’s prestigious 2022 Program of the Year award. The award, honoring DYS’s Behavioral Health Services and Programming unit, is presented each year to only one facility program among the 500 jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities participating in NCCHC’s nationwide accreditation program.
The award was presented at a ceremony on Monday in Las Vegas during the 36th National Conference on Correctional Health Care. Nearly 1,500 people from across the country attended. The award honors all of Colorado’s accredited sites. Each of the state’s DYS youth centers have earned NCCHC accreditation, which puts Colorado at the forefront of integrated and comprehensive health care services for the youth in care.
“We’re honored to receive this prestigious award, which shows our dedication to the care of youth, and the expertise our DYS team possesses to assist youth in getting their lives back on the right track to reduce the chance of future recidivism,” DYS Director Anders Jacobson said. “Our partnership with NCCHC has allowed us to grow and develop our medical and behavioral health services to an impressive level. This partnership has brought a high level of professionalism and enhanced services to the youth we serve.”
Many consider NCCHC correctional health care standards and its accreditation program the most rigorous in the country. DYS is among an elite group that have earned NCCHC accreditation. NCCHC accreditation means that a facility meets nationally established and accepted standards for providing medical, mental health, behavioral health, line staff services and administrative services.
In addition, DYS focuses on an integrated and collaborative healthcare approach. Within the division, 60% of youth live with co-occurring treatment needs, 67% require formal mental health intervention and 89% need treatment-level services for substance use.
“NCCHC has been an amazing partner to the Colorado Division of Youth Services since the first contact. They care about our success and have helped connect us to resources and the network of youth-serving systems committed to excellence,” said Ashley Tunstall, DYS director of Behavioral Health and Medical Services, who accepted the award on behalf of the DYS staff.
DYS provides for the care and supervision of youth committed by District Court to the custody of CDHS. DYS operates 15 secure youth centers that serve youth between the ages of 10-21 who are pre-adjudicated or committed. In addition to residential programming, DYS administers juvenile parole services across the state.
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About the Division of Youth Services Behavioral Health & Medical Services Unit
The Behavioral Health & Medical Services Unit incorporates the collective knowledge of highly qualified, trained professional staff. These team members provide an integrated health services system of evidence-based or informed practices and services to assist youth in the juvenile justice system and their families. DYS oversees services that include assessment, medical, dental, mental health, substance use treatment, psychiatry, psychological and neuro-psychological evaluation services, and sex offense-specific treatment. Services provided are individualized, strengths-based, comprehensive and delivered at the dosage that matches needs. The unit upholds the highest level of health care services within each youth center that meets or exceeds community standards. The services include providing a team of board-certified psychiatrists and external specialty care networks to promote youths' health. DYS maintains the highest level of confidentiality and security of protected health information while ensuring appropriate participation in interdisciplinary teams for care planning. Community collaborations and a solid multidisciplinary focus allow us to surmount challenges, develop opportunities and demonstrate a high level of accountability in resource allocation.
About the National Commission on Correctional Health Care
The mission of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is to improve the quality of health care in jails, prisons and juvenile confinement facilities. NCCHC establishes standards for health services in correctional facilities, operates a voluntary accreditation program for institutions that meet those standards, produces and disseminates resource publications, conducts educational conferences, and offers a certification program for correctional health professionals. NCCHC is supported by the major national organizations representing the fields of health, mental health, law and corrections. Each of those organizations has named a liaison to the NCCHC board of representatives to create a robust, multidisciplinary governing structure that reflects the complexities of correctional health care.
NCCHC Supporting Organizations
| Academy of Correctional Health Professionals | American College of Healthcare Executives | American Psychiatric Association |
| Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics | American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists | American Psychological Association |
| American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry | American College of Physicians | American Public Health Association |
| American Academy of Family Physicians | American Counseling Association | American Society of Addiction Medicine |
| American Academy of PAs | American Dental Association | National Association of Counties |
| American Academy of Pediatrics | American Health Information Management Association | National Association of Social Workers |
| American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law | American Jail Association | National Medical Association |
| American Association of Nurse Practitioners | American Medical Association | National Sheriffs’ Association |
| American Bar Association | American Nurses Association | Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine |
| American College of Correctional Physicians | American Osteopathic Association | |
| American College of Emergency Physicians | American Pharmacists Association |
Media contact
Madlynn Ruble
Deputy Director of Communications
303-253-4047