Why YouthLink Was Established
Young people in our region are facing higher rates of risk, violence, and unmet needs than ever before… yet most support arrives only after a crisis.
Too often…
- Law enforcement becomes the first point of intervention
- Referral pathways are unclear or nonexistent
- Service providers operate in silos
This leads to delayed intervention, duplicative response, and preventable escalation.
Our Mission
To empower families and support young people through timely assessment, intervention, and access to culturally responsive, trauma-informed resources — creating a safer, healthier community for everyone.
What Young People & Families Need
- Early, family-centered support when behavior becomes concerning
- Timely assessments and case management
- Clear referral pathways across schools, police, and service agencies
- Access to a safe place to be when home isn’t safe or stable
Without these, young people are more likely to experience:
- Law enforcement contact
- School suspension or expulsion
- Entry into human services or juvenile justice
What We Do
Following best practices by the National Assessment Center:
Identify Early
Use CDE behavioral event codes, school attendance, police contact data, and more, to flag emerging risk.
Assess & Plan
Strengths-based assessments and individualized, family centered care plans.
Coordinate Care
Warm handoffs to vetted community providers; multilingual navigation (60+ home languages across districts)
Team Around Youth
Weekly student-centered huddles with youth-informed goals; monthly continuous improvement cycles.
Track Outcomes
Attendance, behavior events, law enforcement contact, and more – disaggregated to monitor equity.
Ongoing Intervention
Continually check-in on cases to ensure a continuum of care for long-term success.
Who We Serve
YouthLink is currently only accepting referrals from our investing law enforcement partners*.
Every young person receives timely assessment, trauma-informed care coordination, and access to local resources tailored to their needs, strengths, culture, and family context.
YouthLink provides early, coordinated support for young people ages 12–17 who are showing concerning behavior or early signs of risk — before crisis escalates into suspension, court involvement, or emergency response.
We do not presently accept walk-ins or call-in referrals by family/guardians or community members.
*Investing law enforcement partners: Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and Brighton, Commerce City, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster Police Departments.
YouthLink Board of Directors
YouthLink is a 501(c)(3) CO nonprofit organization, is governed by a Board of Directors responsible for ensuring strong governance, fiscal oversight, and community-centered leadership. The Board affirms the organization’s vision and mission, guides strategy, secures resources, and strengthens impact.
Dr. Terrence Gordon
Board of Directors Chair
Retired Chief of Police; Thornton Police Department
Keith Evans
Vice Chair
Criminal Investigations Deputy Chief, Thornton Police Department
Darcy Brown
Treasurer
Intervention Services Director, School District 27J
Lori Bailey
Secretary
Director of Student Engagement Initiatives, Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Levon Hupfer
Member At-Large
Deputy Executive Director, Adams County Health Department
Dr. Alexander Kondos
Member At-Large
Division Chief, Detectives
Betsy Westbrook
Member At-Large
Deputy Chief of Police, Brighton Police Department
Germaine Meehan
Member At-Large
Child Welfare Manager, Adams County Human Services
Kimberly Hinton
Member At-Large
Senior Deputy District Attorney, 17th Judicial District Attorney
YouthLink Team
Scott@YouthLinkCO.org
Scott O’Harris
Executive Director
Scott O’Harris serves as Executive Director of YouthLink. His background spans nonprofit, recreation, and startup leadership, including work with the YMCA, Movement, and Ramble Outdoors. he brings a community-centered approach to leadership and is passionate about helping YouthLink grow its impact for youth and families.
Please visit our careers page as the team grows in 2026.
National Assessment Center Model Guiding Principles
As a member of the National Assessment Center Association (NAC), YouthLink’s work is guided by the Assessment Center Framework model around five interlocking components that ensure equitable access, quality practice, and measurable outcomes:
- Single Point of Contact
- Screening & Assessment
- Case Management
- Accountability
- Staff Support & Development
YouthLink Blog & Updates
YouthLink’s blog shares articles, updates, and content with a focus on youth and family resources, juvenile justice, child welfare, evidence-based interventions, and other matters affecting our communities.
YouthLink’s Partners
