Denver City Council Health & Safety Committee: DHS Work Plan & Youth Safety Briefings (May 20, 2026)

The Health and Safety Committee, chaired by Councilmember Darrell Watson, met on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, to receive two briefings: the 2026 work plan from Denver Human Services (DHS) and a collaborative presentation from the Mayor's Office of Social Equity and Innovation (OSEI) and the Office of Children's Affairs (OCA) on youth and community safety. The meeting also included the adoption of a consent calendar with three routine items.

Consent Calendar

• The committee approved the consent calendar, which contained three items that were not pulled for discussion.

Discussion Items

Denver Human Services 2026 Work Plan

DHS Executive Director Anne Marie Braga, Chief Program Officer Mimi Sherman, and Chief Administrative Officer Clint Woodrow (absent) presented the agency's three-year strategic roadmap. Key points included:

• Goal 1 – Amplifying Reach: Target: reduce payment error rates for benefits to 6% (currently 6.06% as of December 2025). Efforts include expanding access to services via outreach case coordinators in schools and libraries, and measuring customer well-being outcomes.
• Goal 2 – Uplifting the Team: Focus on increasing trust in agency leadership from 53% to 56% (a 3% increase) by improving visibility, communication, and wellness supports. A new wellness policy will allow employees up to four hours per month for wellness activities.
• Goal 3 – Innovative Approaches: Target: increase the percentage of customers who feel easily connected to services. Strategies include breaking down silos, centering customer voice (800 surveys collected so far), and using data dialogues.
• HR1 Impacts: SNAP work requirements (community engagement activities) are already in effect for able-bodied adults aged 18–64 without dependents under 14. Medicaid work requirements begin January 2027. DHS is partnering with food banks and volunteer portals to help residents meet requirements.
• Legislative Update: A new state bill (county administration of public assistance programs) creates county cohorts and shared services (e.g., call centers) but centralizes fraud investigation. DHS will seek a seat on the implementation committee.

Councilmembers asked about exemptions from work requirements (Mimi Sherman confirmed exemptions remain unchanged), the impact of budget cuts on caseworkers (no caseworkers were laid off; cuts hit support roles), and ADA accessibility at the DHS building (planned renovation will move public entrance to first floor). Councilmember Amanda Sandoval emphasized the need for the city budget to support human services given federal and state funding reductions.

OSEI and OCA Briefing on Youth and Community Safety

Dr. Ben Sanders (Chief Equity Officer, OSEI) and Jess Ridgway (Executive Director, OCA) presented their shared theory of change: ensuring youth thrive to create safer communities. Key examples of collaboration:

• Mayor's Youth Commission: Equity mapping led to three times as many applicants this year. Selection process underway to make the commission more representative.
• Youth Violence Prevention Middle School Pilot: Launched this year, focusing on root causes of violence. Measures of success include improved on-time school attendance and connections to trusted adults.
• Community Safety Grants Program: Funded by a $3 million city council budget amendment (repurposed Bronco Fund). Prioritizes human-centered supports: workforce development, mentorship, mental health, and wraparound services. Guided by community input emphasizing one-to-one adult relationships for youth.

OSEI also highlighted its Office of Neighborhood Safety programs (e.g., HYPE youth leadership, urban farm food truck) and racial equity action plans (REAPs) across city agencies.

Councilmembers asked about:

• Definition of public safety (Councilmember Paul Cashman called for budget alignment with values).
• Partnering intentionally with communities (Dr. Sanders affirmed it as both a current commitment and area for growth; Councilmember Diana Romero Campbell requested a list of OCA's 63 contracts and more details on evidence-based practices).
• Expanding youth violence prevention to younger ages (Councilmember Amanda Sandoval suggested starting with 4th/5th graders given Colorado's age of prosecution at 10).
• Child Friendly Cities Initiative alignment with budget (Councilmember Amanda Sawyer noted the initiative calls for child-responsive budgets).
• Councilmember Sarah Parady requested a list of all organizations receiving youth violence prevention funding this year vs. previous years. Preston Adams (Youth Violence Prevention Administrator) reported four organizations received $90,000 each (S.O.A.R., Royal Mentoring Group, Colorado Lifted, Servicios de la Raza) from 18–19 applicants.

Key Outcomes

• Committee members expressed strong support for the collaborative work but stressed that current funding levels are insufficient to meet community needs. Multiple councilmembers (Cashman, Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Parady) called on the administration to meaningfully reflect youth and safety investments in the upcoming city budget.
• DHS will provide handouts (leadership trust survey results, customer experience data) to councilmembers.
• OSEI/OCA will provide a follow-up list of funded organizations and applicant data for youth violence prevention grants, and continue working on Mayor's Youth Commission expansion and community safety grants RFP.
• No formal votes were taken on the briefings; they were informational.