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Developing an Integrated Health Care Model
From 2015-2019, the Keystone Policy Center worked with the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (CBHC) and four Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) who were participating in a Bi-Directional Integration Demonstration and Practice-Based Research Pilot Program. Through this program, overseen by the Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) Office, the CMHCs piloted models of bi-directional integrated care by integrating primary care and prevention services into the community behavioral health setting. The successes, challenges, and lessons learned from this pilot program will inform the future of comprehensive integrated care in mental health centers across the state.
“The reason it’s really important to maintain integration for both the physical and mental health side is that it changes people’s lives. How we organize care around people will transform individuals, our community, and our state,” said Lorez Meinhold, senior policy director at the Keystone Policy Center.
Colorado SIM was a Governor’s Office initiative to support health care providers in integrating behavioral and physical health care and gaining the skills they need to succeed with alternative payment models. Colorado SIM was built on the strong evidence that treating physical health, mental health and substance use disorders together reduces or avoids unnecessary health care costs and addresses the ever-increasing burden of chronic disease. Colorado SIM was created in December 2014 when Colorado was awarded up to $65 million in the form of a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The overarching goal of Colorado SIM was to improve the health of Coloradans by increasing access to integrated physical and behavioral healthcare services in coordinated community systems, with value-based payment structures, for 80 percent of state residents by 2019.
The Colorado SIM Office came to its planned close in July 2019 with stakeholders deploying an awareness campaign called Colorado is Ready. The website serves as an avenue for stakeholders to connect across sectors, read a “Readiness Report” on stakeholders’ capacity to advance integrated care, and to hear what other stakeholders are saying about integrated care.
Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, became the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack is focusing on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.
Shelby Coffey III is a distinguished journalist, media executive, and thought leader whose career has helped shape the landscape of American news and public discourse. Over several decades, Coffey has held some of the most influential roles in journalism, including serving as editor of the Los Angeles Times, executive vice president of ABC News, and deputy managing editor of The Washington Post. His editorial leadership extended to key roles as president of CNN Financial News, editor of the Dallas Times Herald, and U.S. News & World Report.
Jerry Steiner has spent 40 years involved in agriculture following growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm. He began his career with Monsanto, in multiple business leadership roles. From 2003-2013 he served as a member of the Executive team, as the company’s Executive Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs. He led the company’s global Government, Public and Industry Affairs teams across the 70 countries where Monsanto conducts business. This experience got Jerry connected to the Keystones centers work in agriculture. Key among his responsibilities were shaping the company’s public policy and building partnerships aimed at helping farmers around the world produce more food, while conserving valuable resources like water and energy. Two unique partnership that developed under his leadership were drought tolerant corn with 5 African countries, CIMMYT and the Gates foundation, and a building a sustainable business model in Brazil with the value chain leading to significant multi-company investment and soybean varieties that can protected themselves.
Jennifer Morris is the Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Conservancy, leading a team of nearly 6,000 staff working in more than 80 countries and territories tackling the dual crises of the 
Congressman Joe Neguse represents Colorado’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to his first term in November 2018, becoming the first Black Member of Congress in Colorado history. In December 2022, Rep. Neguse was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), becoming the first Coloradan to serve in a senior elected leadership role in the House in over 85 years. He serves on the Natural Resources and Judiciary Committees, and was also appointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve as one of four Democrats on the prestigious Rules Committee. Rep. Neguse serves as Ranking Member on the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands, which he previously Chaired in the 117th Congress.
Llewellyn King was born in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. He went into journalism as soon as he turned 16, stringing for Time magazine and United Press in Africa.
Steven Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo North America, overseeing a more than $48 billion business that spans PepsiCo’s Foods and Beverage operating units. His leadership encompasses more than 125,000 associates and over 900 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Steven joined PepsiCo in 2001 as part of PepsiCo’s acquisition of the Quaker Oats Company, which he joined in 1997, and has held leadership positions of increased responsibility since.