Traffic Safety Spotlight: Christine Flavia and Webster Hendricks

In 2017, Responsibility.org highlighted the groundbreaking work of individuals from each facet of the DUI system from law enforcement to treatment. As part of our 2017 class of awardees, it is our great pleasure to acknowledge the work done by Christine Flavia and Webster Hendricks of Colorado’s Office of Behavioral Health (OBH). In 2015, Colorado passed a felony impaired driving law (defined as four or more convictions within a lifetime) which led to the development of a new treatment framework to address the needs of this high-risk, repeat offender population.

Launched in the summer of 2017, the Level II 4+ program takes a progressive and evidence-based approach that relies on assessment to guide treatment decision-making. In a departure from traditional programs for DUI offenders, Level II 4+ requires certified providers to identify underlying causes associated with offending that go beyond substance use. In developing the program, OBH underscored the need to identify the presence of co-occurring mental health disorders, traumatic brain injury, trauma, and other potential risk factors among clients. As part of this process, Responsibility.org had the opportunity to collaborate with OBH and the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance to train Colorado treatment providers on the administration of the Computerized Assessment and Referral System - a free, open source software assessment that screens and assesses for co-occurring disorders.

Christine and Webster’s tireless efforts to develop and successfully implement the Level II 4+ program demonstrate their commitment to not only saving lives by protecting public safety, but also to improving the lives of justice-involved individuals who suffer from substance use and/or mental health disorders. We believe that the Level II 4+ program raises the bar for assessment-driven decision-making within the justice system and has the potential to improve both recidivism and treatment outcomes for the highest-risk offenders.

While Christine and Webster could not join us on Capitol Hill for our Annual Holiday Event, we were honored that they could attend the Denver stop of the Reform & Responsibility Tour earlier this month and share more about Level II 4+. Congratulations to Christine, Webster, and the entire OBH team!

---

Each year, Responsibility.org recognizes the contributions of individuals from across the country who exhibit strong leadership and a commitment to reducing impaired driving fatalities. The Kevin E. Quinlan Award for Excellence in Traffic Safety is presented to practitioners who embody the legacy of a traffic safety pioneer who was instrumental in promoting state action on National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations to reduce fatalities, injuries, and crashes in all modes of transportation.