DENVER (KDVR) — For the first time in the history of the Denver Sheriff’s Department, a chief of mental health services has been hired to oversee the work that’s being done in the county’s jails.

With over 15 years of correctional facility experience, Dr. Nikki J. Johnson, Psy.D., CAS, was most recently the Director of Mental Health at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Detention Facility.

As part of the DSD’s tactical activities, mental health focus and safe environment are listed in the department’s strategy for inmate wellness.

“Dr. Johnson is a welcome addition to our leadership team, as Denver’s jails continue to serve as one of the largest mental health services providers in the state,” Sheriff Elias Diggins said.

She has worked with both juvenile and adult inmates in her career and also in a maximum security facility. Her role in the DSD is to drive the strategy and performance of all mental health services.

“With her extensive experience with behavioral health in jails and prisons, she brings a wealth of knowledge that will help us in our quest to foster continued improvement in the services we provide for those in our custody,” Diggins said.