December 10, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ParkerChronicle.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
Clinicians, police professionals work together to help citizens in need Community Response Team brings an understanding approach BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arriving in an unmarked car on a hot summer morning, a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy, a certified clinician and a case manager walk calmly into a Highlands Ranch home. The night before, the county sheriff’s office had been called about a teenage boy in distress. The deputy who had responded to the nighttime call did not arrest the teen or take him to a hospital. Instead, the deputy referred the case to a unit known as the Douglas County Community Response Team, or CRT. The CRT’s three professionals are not there to intimidate, scare or get the neighbors talking. Instead, they are there to follow up and help a family going through a tough
BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The new majority on the Douglas County Board of Education offered a preview of their immediate plans for the district in a recent study session — and a desire to speed-track
Masks not perfect, but do help, says local health chief Tri-County’s Douglas, data shed light on misconceptions
From left, Case Manager Steve Kalisch, Clinician Ellen Pronio and Deputy Zachary PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES Zepeski team up to help local citizens.
time. There are multiple CRT units across Douglas County, as the county sheriff’s office and police departments in Castle Rock, Parker and Lone Tree have all adopted this approach to answering calls of distress from members of the community. These calls of distress do not involve people breaking the law. They typically involve stressed-out
family members, residents contemplating suicide or people struggling with alcohol and substance abuse.
taking up their campaign promises. Among their priorities — making masks and vaccinations optional and repealing and replacing the district’s equity policy. Other priorities include amending the district’s common communicable disease policy and retaining an attorney for the board who is separate from the district’s legal counsel. The board agreed to spread items related to COVID-19 policies over a special meeting set for Dec. 7 and a regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 14. Directors decided to hold
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
off on reviewing the equity policy until the new year. The board will consider a resolution making masking a choice on Dec. 7, according to the agenda. Board President Mike Peterson said another major reason for calling a special meeting on Dec. 7 is incoming board members’ wish to hold a vote on the district’s plans to acquire the CU South campus. That will provide the public with a record of each official’s position,
His local public-health department has issued another maskwearing mandate for two metroDenver counties with nearly 1.2 million people. Even so, John Douglas doesn’t hesitate to admit that masks aren’t perfect in the fight against COVID-19. “But, like vaccines, they work better when more people use them,” Douglas, executive director of the Tri-County Health Department, told Colorado Community Media. “Because, like vaccines, they can both prevent the individual from getting infected or sick,” and also can prevent spread of the virus to others, Douglas said. Tri-County Health serves Adams and Arapahoe counties, and provides certain public-health services in Douglas County. Under a Nov. 22 Tri-County order, all people 2 and older in Adams and Arapahoe County must wear a face covering in all public indoor spaces. Authorities in Jefferson, Denver and Boulder counties have issued similar mandates. With rates of new coronavirus
SEE OPTIONAL, P13
SEE CRISIS, P10
‘Amazing how brave people can be’ Clinician Ellen Pronio explains that her job is to help get residents and families back on track by cutting through red tape, offering an understanding perspective and SEE RESPONSE, P8
New school board majority lays out priorities Optional masks, repealing equity policy among top of the list
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 2
SANTA PAINTINGS
Inspiration comes from the foothills of the Rockies
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