2025 ACA 155th Congress of Correction Denver_Program Book

CORRECTIONAL FACILITY/INSTITUTIONAL TOURS

informed and gender responsive for women with increasingly complex needs. The Program enables Denver women with criminal justice involvement to return and thrive in their home community. Empowerment’s mission is to holistically help individuals build healthier lives from the inside out. Empowerment’s primary goal is to decrease rates of recidivism by providing care management, employment services, basic skills education, health care, and resource coordination that can offer alternatives to habits and choices that may lead to criminal behaviors and limit individuals’ ability to become self-sufficient and productive members of the Denver community. The program is an integrated community location, providing a continuum of care to women facing complex challenges. Community corrections provides more than housing and supervision. It also facilitates access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. It provides evidence-based treatment services that are responsive to women’s needs including language preference, learning abilities, gender identity, cultural identity, and age/ developmental needs. Each participant has a team which supports the development of an individual care plan designed to articulate a clear path to successful reintegration. Staff provide continuous monitoring and support, helping participants align their actions and choices with their long-term goals.

opened in 2010 and serves as a cornerstone of Denver’s criminal justice system. With an operational capacity of 1,500, the facility houses both sentenced and pre-sentenced individuals, using a direct supervision model to promote safety, accountability, and positive interactions between staff and those in custody. The facility consists of a variety of housing unit types, including single-person cells, two-person cells, eight-person cells, and dormitory-style units. These housing units are structured across five classification levels to accommodate the diverse needs of the incarcerated population. A hallmark of the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center is its commitment to rehabilitation and wellness. A robust programs team provides critical support services, including dedicated mental health units, a specialized veterans housing unit, and substance abuse treatment programs. One of the facility’s innovative approaches to mental health support is the Crisis Response Team — a detention-based co-responder model that integrates licensed mental health clinicians into the correctional environment to respond to individuals experiencing crises. The Denver Sheriff Department holds national recognition for excellence in correctional operations and healthcare. The department maintains accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the American Correctional Association (ACA), and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). These combined accreditations have earned the department the prestigious Triple Crown Award from the National Sheriffs’ Association — an honor held by only a select group of agencies nationwide.

EVENTS

Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center Dates: Sunday, Aug. 24 th and Monday, Aug. 25 th

Pick Up Time at Center: • A.M. Tour: 9:30 a.m. • P.M. Tour: 12:30 p.m. Time of Tour:

• A.M. Tour: 10 a.m. • P.M. Tour: 1 p.m.

Number of Participants: 10 per group Distance/Time: 3 min drive 12 min walk Distance/Miles: .7 miles

The Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center, operated by the Denver Sheriff Department,

56 — ACA 155 th Congress of Correction | Denver