Police Department
Reference: MOU between City of Brighton and the Youth Resource and Assessment Center
To: Mayor Gregory Mills and Members of City Council
Through: Michael P. Martinez, City Manager
Prepared By: Betsy Westbrook-Deputy Chief of Police
Date Prepared: December 4, 2025
PURPOSE
To request approval of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regarding Fiscal Agent Services between the City of Brighton and the Youth Resource and Assessment Center (YRAC). The YRAC is a non-profit, multijurisdictional effort to provide assessment, intervention, and resource services for youth and families in Adams County.
BACKGROUND
In August of 2023, in response to the closure of the former youth assessment center (The Link) serving Adams County, the 17th Judicial District Criminal Justice Coordinating Council subcommittee on Juvenile Justice, led by then Thornton Police Chief Terrence Gordon, convened leaders and stakeholders from across the region to begin planning for a renewed and improved Juvenile Assessment Center. Participants included school superintendents, police chiefs, human services, and city and county officials from Adams and Broomfield Counties. This meeting resulted in the formation of a task force to lead the establishment of a new 501(c)(3) organization to fill the gap left by the closure of The Link.
The goal of the new and improved YRAC for the 17th Judicial District is to assess youth at risk and provide early, preventative support to young people and families before they reach a critical point or become involved in serious or violent offenses. This will be achieved by providing services that meet youth and families where they are and prioritizing access to timely services and interventions over entry into the justice or human services systems.
Progress to date includes:
* August 2024-YRAC received it's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
* October 2024-Requested and received one-time seed funding for re-distribution of ARPA funds for the new faci...
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