Roads2Recovery: An All-In Approach to Denver's Behavioral Health and Safety Needs

The Roads to Recovery (R2R) Program is a mayoral initiative designed to divert individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into a city-coordinated network of intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation services. Founded on the belief that people want to—and can—change when the right on-demand supports are available, R2R brings together stakeholders from the Denver Police Department, Public Health, the Office of Neighborhood Safety, the Housing Support Department, and the broader community to make this vision a reality. The program shifts the burden from individuals navigating complex systems to a responsive system that adapts to individual needs. Its goal is to enhance Denver’s continuum of care by providing coordinated support for individuals with behavioral health challenges who have historically cycled in and out of jail due to unmet needs and behaviors associated with housing instability.