STAR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON 2023 ELECTION
March 21, 2023
Contact:
Ana Cornelius, SCAC Chair
primalwellnessltd@yahoo.com
STAR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT ON 2023 ELECTION
In 2023, Denver will host elections for a new Mayor, city council members, and other administrative positions. Throughout the election campaigning, the Support Team Assisted Response Program (STAR) has been mentioned and referenced by numerous candidates in virtually all races. As members of the STAR Community Advisory Committee (SCAC), we knew that STAR would be a topical issue as well as the issues that it was designed to address: mental health crises, substance misuse, issues related to homelessness, and behavioral health. STAR is an answer to many questions and demands community members have had, however it is not the only answer for the litany of problems in Denver.
Committee members are generally pleased that STAR has received wide support from candidates running for office and has historically received an abundance of support and coverage from media, other city and state agencies, and the public. There are even candidates that have been so supportive of the program that some have claimed sole credit or influence in the creation of the program. While there were many governmental entities involved and critical to the creation of STAR, it is important to note that it was a creation of and for the community. STAR was the result of a demand, a vision, and labor of community members, many of whom remain involved. Omitting the community’s work and vision for STAR in discussions about it has the potential and likely consequence of leaving our community out as the program evolves under new city leadership. This consequence is not only problematic for our community as a whole, but could also continue a historical pattern of the systemic silencing of our most marginalized community members, and those who are most impacted by the inequities in our city.
Mostly absent from the discussion of STAR is the fact that the SCAC’s meetings have been shut down since September of last year. During this time, many issues with STAR have not made their way to the public which would have previously happened through our monthly committee meetings. Among the issues, STAR’s direct number had been shut down, organizations and agencies in Denver are requesting STAR to serve in a policing capacity by “moving along” unhoused folks, and folks with disabilities are being transported to shelters only to be turned away. The last point is especially alarming given that many mayoral candidates are declaring that if unhoused folks don’t accept options the city provides them – options that many folks are being turned away from – then they should otherwise be detained.
As committee members invested in STAR, we demand answers from candidates about what they will do to support existing community involvement (particularly through the SCAC) and expand community oversight. Along with support for STAR, the concerns with the program need to be raised as well. STAR is undoubtedly a successful program and a victory of the community in demanding and creating transformative solutions to critical issues in our city. But it can be better and it needs to be driven by the vision that the community had when designing it.