They say they won the fight to keep convicted sex offenders out of a state home for mental health patients planned for a tight-knit Northglenn neighborhood.
But residents and city officials claim the battle against the Department of Human Services and its Mental Health Transitional Living Facilities is far from over.
“We worry the state won’t keep (its) word which is why we will stay organized and will be monitoring the area around the facility,” said Danielle Hall, a parent who quickly organized opposition to the state’s plan.
Hall said the combined pressure exerted by residents, city officials and State Rep. Jenny Willford over the last two weeks helped convince DHS’s Office of Civic and Forensic Health to shelve plans to house those convicted of a sex crime from living at two transitional facilities at 11255 and 11275 Grant Drive.
The heavily monitored transitional group homes are for patients who have been treated in mental hospitals and are preparing to re-enter society. The Northglenn units were among the first this year to be opened for patients, which were to include convicted sex offenders.
The announcement that the units – which used to house elderly patients – drew outrage from city officials who said they were never notified until the last minute that the transition homes were opening.
Parents were also stunned by the news. They said the patients – especially the sex offenders – posed a danger to local children, including those who attended Stukey Elementary School. Stukey is only about three blocks away from the group homes.
Hall helped organize pickets in front of the two units and over 400 people jammed into a Northglenn Recreation Center conference room last month to blast state officials.
Willford explored filing new legislation to correct the original 2022 bill that created the transition home system. The city council also passed an emergency ordinance putting the distance a sex offender could live near a school at 1,000 feet. The previous distance was 750 feet.
The state announced late last week that the transitional living facilities will move forward by providing a two-year pilot admission process, focusing on “those individuals who can most safely transition to the MHTL homes,” according to a statement from the Colorado Office of Civil and Forensic Health. That means the MHTL homes in Northglenn will not admit people with any recent “assaultive behavior” as well as registered sex offenders, according to the statement.
Making a difference
Hall said efforts to organize the community made a difference in the state’s decision to pull back from allowing sex offenders into the facilities. But local activists need to stay vigilant, said Hall, whose child attends a school about one mile from the group homes.
“We will do our best to keep the neighborhood engaged through our Facebook group and the Nextdoor app as well,” Hall said via email. “It’s important for neighbors to keep going to City Council meetings and to know what’s happening in their city. I personally think the State hopes we will become complacent so they can keep the lack of transparency going at this location, as well as others. “
Northglenn City Councilmember Katherine Goff said there is a need for transition homes. But they need to be placed in locations where the patients can be treated effectively while neighbors feel safe having them nearby, Goff said.
“I know that we need more mental health services and Transitional Homes, but we also need to know that this facility is operating in a way that supports success for those living there and the safety of Northglenn residents,” Goff said.