“Community Conversations” Shine Spotlight on How Mental Illness Impacts Systems
Media Contact: Kristina Shaw, MHP Public Information Officer | kshaw@mhpcolorado.org
For Immediate Release: September 28, 2020
Mental Health Partners (MHP) and National Alliance for Mental Illness of Boulder County
(NAMI) are co-hosting “Community Conversations on the Impacts of Mental Health” throughout
the month of October. These virtual conversations feature panels of local leaders and experts
discussing how mental illness impacts various social systems and programs that address these
challenges. All conversations are moderated by Doyle Forrestal, CEO of Colorado Behavioral
Health Care Council.
“The goals of these conversations are to share with the community the breadth and depth of
work being done within these systems to address and accommodate mental health,” said Cindy
Cohagen, Director of Philanthropy and Community Relations at Mental Health Partners. “We are
also looking to build community awareness regarding the impact of mental illness in our region
and explore how we can better address these challenges in the future.”
Community members are welcome and encouraged to join these free events! Registration is
required: bit.ly/mhccboulder. To learn more about these conversations, please view the
schedule below or visit: www.mhpcolorado.org/community-conversations-2020/
Thursday, October 8 | 6:30 – 8:00 pm:
The Intersection of Mental Health and The Criminal Justice System
Featured Experts: Joe Pelle – Boulder County Sheriff; Michael Dougherty – District Attorney,
20th Judicial District; Ingrid Bakke – Chief District Court Judge, Div. 13 Twentieth Judicial
District; Dr. Anjali Nandi – 20th Judicial District Chief Probation Officer; Nicole Collins –
Managing Public Defender, Boulder Regional Office, Office of the State Public Defender; and
Lucy Ohanian, Chief Deputy Public Defender
Tuesday, October 13 | 6:30 – 8:00 pm:
The Intersection of Mental Health and Education
Featured Experts: Dr. Jennifer B. McDuffie, CU Boulder Associate Vice Chancellor, Division of
Student Affairs and Matt Dudek, Director of Special Education, BVSD
Tuesday, October 20 | 6:00– 7:30 pm:
The Intersection of Mental Health and Business/Commerce
Featured Experts: Brad Feld, is Co-Founder / Partner of Foundry Group, Co-Founder of
Techstars; Sam Taylor, President/CEO of the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce; and Chris
Coker, CEO of YMCA of Northern Colorado
Tuesday, October 27 | 6:30 – 8:00 pm:
The Intersection of Mental Health and Social Justice/Equity
Featured Experts: Tatiana Hernandez, CEO of Community Foundation of Boulder; Eliberto
Mendoza, Project Coordinator for City of Longmont; and Amy Nelson, BVSD Coordinator of
Equity and Partnerships, Southwest Network
About Mental Health Partners:
In alignment with our mission – Healing is our purpose. Help is our promise. Health is our
passion. – Mental Health Partners (MHP) provides immediate access to expert mental health
and substance use care so people can enjoy healthy and fulfilling lives. To access services, call
(303) 443-8500 or visit www.mhpcolorado.org. For emergency assistance with a mental health
crisis, please call 1 (844) 493-TALK (8255), text TALK to 38255 or go directly to our 24/7 WalkIn Center at 3180 Airport Rd., Boulder, CO. Learn more at: www.mhpcolorado.org.
About NAMI Boulder County:
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health
organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental
illness. NAMI Boulder County’s mission is to provide support, education and advocacy for
individuals and families impacted by mental illness, by which we will reduce stigma, instill hope,
and generate change. All programs are offered free of charge to all participants. Learn more at
https://namibouldercounty.org/.
Media Contact: Kristina Shaw, MHP Public Information Officer | kshaw@mhpcolorado.org