Jennifer Padilla, who lives across the street, stands in front of the proposed Northglenn facility on March 28, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Neighbors oppose Colorado Department of Human Services plan to house up to 32 people with severe mental illness, potentially including sex offenders, in the Northglenn neighborhood near schools and playgrounds We are now taking all possible actions to ensure this.
Conflicting details about the proposal have swirled throughout the community in recent weeks, but Melanie Buffington, who has lived near the proposed site in the north suburbs for the better part of a decade, said she is concerned. She has two children of her own (one in kindergarten and one in fourth grade) who attend nearby Stukey Elementary School.
“I definitely don’t think they should be in close proximity to children that could lead to recidivism,” Buffington said. “I don’t think you can rehabilitate from being a registered sex offender.”
The city plans to hold a community meeting about the proposal Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the recreation center at 1 East Memorial Parkway. It is expected that many participants will gather.
The proposal from the state’s Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health prompted the creation of an online petition in opposition, which had nearly 1,000 signatures as of Monday. Meanwhile, state lawmakers representing the Adams County city of 40,000 people sent a letter to state officials last month expressing concerns about opening a mental health transitional living facility there.
In a March 18 letter, U.S. Rep. Jenny Wilford wrote that while the distance between the two planned facilities at 11255 and 11275 Grant Drive to Steukey Elementary School is less than 900 feet, Mary Catholic He noted that the distance to the Immaculate Heart of Mary church playground is just over 500 feet. .
“While this property was previously operated as an assisted living facility for the elderly, we are concerned that housing a registered sex offender at this location would be a significant change of use that is incompatible with this particular area. “I am,” she wrote.
But Jordan Saenz, communications manager for the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health, said there’s been bad information floating around about how many sex offenders live at the Northglenn facility. Wilford said in the letter that the buildings “will likely house 32 registered sex offenders,” but Saenz told the Denver Post, “These two There is a limit to two sex offenders housed together at any given time, he said.
“There was never a plan to house 32 sex offenders in these homes,” she said.
Saenz said the facility is part of Colorado’s mental health transitional living home program, which was created by the Legislature two years ago. This law aims to help people with mental illness transition from hospitals to lower levels of care as they transition back into the community. The bill requires the state to create, develop, or contract with providers for 125 beds across the state to accommodate people passing through different levels of care.
The site, formerly a state-run senior citizen facility, is scheduled to open in May with two buildings each housing 16 people. Rep. Judy Amerville (D-Boulder) was the sponsor of the Mental Health Housing Act of 2022.
“I understand that people with mental illness can be scary,” she said. “Spreading the word that this is a residence for sex offenders has stirred up people’s fears.”
She said the law aims to provide people with mental illness with proper treatment and prevent them from ending up on the streets. Amabile said Northglenn clients will be monitored 24 hours a day during their stay, while they try to find work or attend medical appointments.
“This is an important part of the continuum of care. That’s what this bill is for, that’s what these beds are for,” she said.
But Northglenn Mayor Meredith Leity said area residents weren’t informed about the state’s plan until they felt everything was already done. And regardless of the number of sex offenders who may end up living at the facility, she says it’s not the right place.
“Our absolute goal is that there is no registered sex offender at that address. That’s definitely not where it should be,” Leity said. “What’s really important is making sure our community is safe.”
Father Ernest Beyer, pastor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, said his church is adjacent to the proposed site. The church hosts 250 preschoolers through fifth graders each week, and 100 middle school and high school students twice a week.
“We have a lot of kids walking across our parking lot on their way to Stukey Elementary School,” Beyer said. “They’re walking right in front of the facility that’s going to be built. Are we trying to lure in sex offenders?”
He pointed to the presence of liquor stores and drug stores on and near Grant Drive, which could be a lure for people struggling with substance abuse.
“It’s hard to believe that this is the perfect location for this purpose,” Bayer said.
Saenz acknowledged that clients with a history of substance use disorder will be considered for residential placement, but they must not have used drugs within the past six months and are not assessed to be at high risk of relapse. said it needed to be done. But Jennifer Padilla, who lives across the street from the proposed facility on Grant Drive, said Wednesday night she was vocally opposed.
“This is very difficult for me because I was a sexually abused child,” said Padilla, 42. Now that she is an adult, I can say it crippled me. I will do everything I can to protect all children from this happening. ”
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