The Equitas Project, a national initiative of Mental Health Colorado, which promotes mental health awareness and champions laws, policies, and practices that prioritize improved population health outcomes, sensible use of resources, and the decriminalization of mental illness.
disentangling mental health and criminal justice
Policy Influence
The Equitas Project helps local and state communities define the elements of a just and prosperous society—one that prioritizes mental wellness over punishment and confinement. Helping leaders across the country accelerate policy change and practice reform by, creating a shared language for advocacy, building consensus and multi-sector coalitions, and getting the thoughtful recommendations of allied leaders into the hands of policy makers.
Course Corrections
Course Corrections is a series of summits that give leaders—from all sectors of health and justice— an opportunity to step outside of their normal focus areas. With a bigger picture in mind, these leaders come together to collaborate, build consensus, and outline next steps toward healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities. By helping produce these co-authored plans and priorities, The Equitas Project elevates better practices and a bold vision, building momentum toward local and national culture change.
Engaging the Community Health Continuum
Mobilizing partners along a community health continuum – including childhood, health care, education, employment, and housing is essential to addressing all the factors that contribute to mental and community health. Through the lenses of public safety, justice, corrections, and reentry, The Equitas Project utilizes data and policy reform to advocate for individual and community prosperity.
"We envision an America rededicated to liberty and justice for all, where there is a commonly held expectation that jails and prisons should not continue to serve as the nation’s warehouses for people with unmet mental health needs."
-Vincent Atchity, President & CEO of Mental Health Colorado
