Two honored for ‘Boots on the Ground’

VALLEY– The San Luis Valley Joint Interagency Oversight Group (SLV Joint IOG) is pleased to honor partner agency staff members with the “Boots on the Ground” award in recognition of employees who exemplify the spirit of cross-systems collaboration.

The award recipients for December are Nazaray Albert with the San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group and Jamie Madigan with the Alamosa School District. 

“Nazaray was a forensics referral specialist for years who has a cross systems approach in making sure all referring parties are served in a timely manner with the highest level of care. She has put many spreadsheets, workflows and checks in place to ensure organized, professional, well tracked services not only for the clients being served but for forensic referring parties such as parole, probation, DOC, community corrections, IRT, Diversion, and the LEAD program. She works in conjunction with many other staff including the other referral specialist, care coordinators, clinicians, customers service, psychiatric department and the substance abuse team.

“Nazaray schedules clients for an array of services, follows up, coordinates with referring parties and does care coordination for any client needs identified. She has built great rapport with our community partners which helps to fuel great customer service. Nazaray is an asset to the SLVBHG and I know she will thrive with her newly found position as a peer specialist for the substance abuse team at SLVBHG.”

“Jamie exemplifies the tenets for the Boots on the Ground Award. Jamie understands the meaning of cross collaboration. With her role in the school district, she leads a team of empathetic professionals that provide high support and creative planning for some of the community’s most at-promise families. You will find Jamie on the front lines working with families to coordinate services, overcome barriers, and increase access to services.

“Even beyond her role, Jamie is often found at night delivering food boxes, meeting families in their homes, providing special curriculum, and problem-solving with families. She has helped many families in Alamosa receive internet connectivity in order to learn and has helped families avoid truancy court through overcoming barriers to attendance. Jamie gets all of this done through pulling together teams and resources to serve families. She makes referrals to the ISST and ensures her team knows the strength and power of this entity. Jamie partners with social services workers, probation officers, law enforcement, mental health professionals, the Boys and Girls Club, PALS, the BOCES, Wraparound, and other local agencies like La Puente and Center for Restorative Programs. She is an asset to the school district and to our community.”

Established in 2008 and funded through Colorado House Bill 1451, the SLV Joint IOG currently includes Alamosa and Saguache Counties. Over twenty agencies participate including the 12th Judicial District, Probation Department, the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum program, Alamosa County Department of Human Services, Alamosa County Public Health Department, Alamosa School District, Center for Restorative Programs, Colorado Division of Youth Services, Colorado Health Partnerships, Crossroads’ Turning Points, San Luis Valley Early Childhood Council, San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group, San Luis Valley BOCES, Signal Behavioral Health Network, Beacon Health Options, Saguache County Department of Social Services, Saguache County Public Health Department, Center School District, Moffat Consolidated School District, Mountain Valley School District, Tu Casa, and Teri Sisneros, Family Representative for the SLV Joint IOG.

The goal of the SLV Joint IOG is to develop collaborative approaches for the provision of individualized, strength-based, family-centered, and culturally sensitive services to children, youth, and families. The SLV Joint IOG works to increase the quality and appropriateness of services while encouraging cost sharing and reducing service duplication and fragmentation.