Colorado-Based Work
Since starting my faculty position in July of 2023, I have co-led multiple community-engaged studies focused on health concerns for those with criminal legal involvement locally.
Competency to Stand Trial
In collaboration with UCSF colleague, Dr. Erin McCauley, we have begun studying how the legal process of competency to stand trial impacts individuals with severe mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative conditions. To do this, we are conducting a policy landscape of Colorado counties, qualitative interviews with individuals, caregivers, and providers, and a descriptive quantitative analysis. This work is funded by UCSF's ARCH Network, UCSF's Population Health Equity Scholars, and CU Population Center.
Mental Health, Substance Use, & Local Criminal Legal Involvement
In collaboration with community co-lead, Betsy Craft, we have developed a community advisory board focused on the intersection of local criminal legal involvement in jail and probation, substance use, and mental health. We have also conducted interviews about this intersection with those currently incarcerated and on probation through Jail and Probation: Understanding Mental Health and Substance Use Pathways in Colorado (JUMP-C). This work is funded by The University of Colorado Community Engagement Pilot Program and General Internal Medicine Small Grant Program.
In collaboration with Dr. Paul Christine, we are evaluating Colorado Department of Correction's Medications for Opioid Use Disorder program, and have recently conducted a landscape review of all Colorado county jail policies for Medications for Opioid Use Disorder.
Extreme Heat in Colorado Prisons
In collaboration with Remerg and colleagues at CU Boulder, we have begun studying the impacts of extreme heat on physical and mental health in Colorado state prisons. This work is funded by the University of Colorado's AB Nexus mechanism.