Public Health in the Rockies 2026

This presentation introduces a practical evaluation toolkit developed specifically for co-response and alternative response programs. For public health professionals, this toolkit addresses a critical gap: how to measure what actually matters in behavioral health crisis response, moving beyond arrest and incarceration metrics toward outcomes that reflect health, well-being, and recovery.

The toolkit is directly relevant to public health practice in several ways. First, it supports program planning and accountability by helping teams clarify goals and select outcomes aligned with public health values, such as connection to care, reduced emergency department utilization, and improved client well-being. Second, it promotes equity and trauma-informed practice by embedding person-centered principles into data collection, ensuring evaluation methods respect the dignity of individuals in crisis. Third, it strengthens community and funder communication, equipping programs to tell compelling, evidence-based stories that justify investment and sustain operations.

Public health professionals working in crisis services, community mental health, health departments, or emergency preparedness will find this toolkit applicable across settings and program models. As co-response programs continue to expand nationally, standardized, impact-driven evaluation frameworks will be essential for building the evidence base, informing policy, and ensuring these models deliver on their promise to improve population health outcomes — particularly for those most vulnerable to behavioral health crises.