Staff at ARTS

Tom Brewster, LCSW

Tom Brewster, LCSW, Associate Professor and Executive Director, Addiction Research and Treatment Services, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; President & co-founder, Signal Behavioral Health Network, Inc.; Board of Directors, Rocky Mountain Institute for Alcohol and Drug Education; Member, Denver Drug Strategy Commission; Co-Investigator, Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Rocky Mountain Node, National Institute on Drug Abuse; Member, Health Services Scientific Review Group, National Institute on Drug Abuse; Member Denver Victims Assistance and Law Enforcement Board; Board of Directors, Colorado Association of Alcohol and Drug Service Providers; Co-Investigator, Intervention to Reduce Injection Drug Use in Ukraine (NIDA,RO1).

: Eric Ennis, LCSW; Eric Ennis is the Director of Adult Outpatient Services for ARTS. He is a Senior Instructor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is also the past Chairperson of the Colorado Organization for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (COTOD) and a Board Member of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD).; Mr. Ennis began his career during his senior year at the University of Vermont, working as a "University Year for Action" intern at a community mental health center providing both alcohol detox and mental health crisis services. Mr. Ennis obtained his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from UVM in 1979, and his Master's Degree in Social Work form the University of Connecticut in 1983. Mr. Ennis began his post-graduate career working in the mental health field.; Since 1985 he has worked for the Addiction Research and Treatment Services (ARTS), first as a substance abuse counselor, then as Clinic Supervisor, and finally as Director of six Denver area outpatient clinics for ARTS, including three opioid treatment programs.; Eric is married, the father of two great kids, and lives with his family in Denver.

: Kenneth J. Gaipa, LCSW, LAC, MAC; Kenneth Gaipa has been the Director of Peer I since March 1994. He is a Senior Instructor with the University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Substance Dependence. He is certified by the Department of Regulatory Agencies as a Licensed Addiction Counselor and is also credentialed as a Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) with the NAADAC Certification Commission.; Mr. Gaipa has extensive experience in various treatment modalities that offered brief and long-term treatment in both residential and non-residential settings. Prior to his employment with the University, Mr. Gaipa worked in the field of chemical dependency/mental health services in both administrative and clinical capacities for over twenty-three years in the New York City Metropolitan area.; He has worked with various groups in the Criminal Justice system developing treatment alternatives for non-violent offenders. Mr. Gaipa's background includes experience as a clinician, clinical supervisor and also worked in administrative positions for several non-profit agencies. In addition, Mr. Gaipa has also developed programming/treatment services in managed care settings in accordance with mental health/substance abuse benefit guidelines.

: Mick Kirby, PhD; Mick Kirby received a BA in psychology from the University of Richmond, an MA in psychology from Wake Forest University, and an MA and PhD with a major in psychology from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He began his career in Colorado working on the Crisis Intervention Unit at Fort Logan Medical Center, which was also the site for his doctoral dissertation on alternatives to hospitalization for patients affected by acute mental illness. In 1981, while serving as the Director of Research and Program Evaluation for Southwest Denver Mental Health Center, he assumed responsibility as Director of the Alcohol Services Program. In 1983 he became the Executive Director for Arapahoe House, Inc. In 2005 Mick resigned as CEO of Arapahoe House, having overseen growth from $1 million in annual revenues in 1983 to $28 million in 2005. He was also CEO of The Recovery Foundation, a separate charitable entity that supported Arapahoe House through fundraising, and was CEO and Board Chair for Centennial Peaks Hospital, a free-standing 72 bed psychiatric hospital that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arapahoe House.; Mick was one of the founders of Signal Behavioral Health Network [Signal] and served on the Signal Board of Directors; he also was a founder of the Colorado Alcohol and Drug Services Providers organization. Mick is a reviewer for the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices [NREPP] and is one of 13 Senior Fellows with the Co-Occurring Center for Excellence [COCE], both of which are sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA]. He has over 40 publications and presentations in scientific and clinical journals and conferences. Mick currently is the Director of Business Development for Signal, in addition to being an Instructor with the UCD and his position with ARTS.

: Susan Krill-Smith, LCSW; Susan Krill-Smith, LCSW, is the Director of Synergy, the adolescent residential and oupatient treatment continuum of ARTS. She is responsible for Synergy's fiscal, administrative and clinical oversight and is a member of ARTS Management and Quality Assurance Teams. She began her career at Denver Human Services. In 1974, she received her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Denver. At that time and prior to joining Synergy (1993), Susan worked in a variety of other senior positions with ARTS: adult outpatient services; the regions' first specialized women's drug treatment program; HIV prevention/education; the Cocaine Clinic; various street outreach efforts; and a collaboration with Denver Indian Health and Family Services. She also worked in private practice with adults. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addiction Counselor III.; As a Senior Instructor (Psychiatry), Division of Substance Dependence, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Susan conducts training and teaching about substance abuse for community groups, various stakeholders, social workers, medical students, and residents. She is a collaborator on several grants. Susan is an appointee to the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Board for the Division of Criminal Justice and was elected to the Board of Colorado Association of Family and Children's Agencies (CAFCA), January 2008. She is pleased to be affiliated wiht an agency dedicated to the provision of effective treatments for and the enhancement of knowledge about, adults and adolescents with substance use and co-occurring disorders.

: Julie Krow, MA, LPC; Julie Krow (formerly Miller) is a Senior Instructor with the University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Substance Dependence. Addiction Research and Treatment Services (ARTS). She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Julie's responsibilities include a range of senior executive duties within a framework of four primary areas: Women's Treatment Services, Operations, Development, and Community Relations in support of ARTS clinical programs. She oversees the administrative, fiscal and budgeting, and clinical management of [1] The Haven, a 38 bed Therapeutic Community Program located on the Ft. Logan Campus; [2] the Haven-Harmon House, a 23 bed therapeutic community which services as a transitional house; [3] The Haven Mother's House I, a 24 bed therapeutic community for pregnant and post-partum women and their infant children; [4] The Haven Mothers House II, a 28 bed facility for pregnant and post- partum women and their infant children; [5] The Baby Haven and Haven Mothers House, a daycare for up to 26 infants; [6] the Denver Women's Correctional Facility Therapeutic Community, a 65 bed Department of Corrections prison program; [7] a Community-Based Doula Program; and [8] the co-administration of the Outpatient Therapeutic Community.; Julie provides gender-specific program consultation ARTS-wide. She participates in teaching opportunities including lecturing to medical students and psychiatric residents, providing community education, media relations, and publications. Julie works with the ARTS Executive Director and the Manager of Operations and Development to develop and maintain the ARTS-wide strategic plan including growth and development priorities, grant writing and diversified fundraising strategies, marketing strategies, and annual revenue goals. She plans and evaluates the financial needs and fundraising plans for the organizations future and ensures growth and development is carried out in keeping with ARTS values, mission, vision, and plan. Julie collaborates with local officials in order to promote and develop ARTS services. She represents ARTS on various task forces, boards, and committees.; Julie has experience in the areas of Child Welfare, Mental Health Substance Abuse Treatments, Developmental Disabilities, and Criminal Justice.; Julie received the following awards and honors: Colorado Association for Children and Families Agencies (CAFCA) Outstanding Public-Private Partnership Award in 2002; City and County of Denver's Leadership program in 2003; State Child Welfare Practice Award in July 2004; Colorado Institute for Leadership Training (CILT) class of 2004-2005; Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership Award and Keynote Speaker-Promoting Diversity in the Workplace in 2007.; Julie was appointed to serve on the Legislative Task Force for the Treatment of the Mentally Ill in the Criminal Justice System in May 2006 and is the Chair of the Subcommittee to Address Medication, Health Care, and Public Benefits. She has served on the Board of Directors for The Friends of Kids in Crisis and as the Secretary for the Colorado Community Corrections Coalition.

: Elizabeth Whitmore, PhD; Dr. Whitmore is the Director of Synergy Outpatient Services. Dr. Whitmore is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, where she teaches about substance abuse and treatment to medical students and psychiatry residents.; She received her master's degree and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa and has over 12 years of experience in the substance abuse/mental health field. She has been the Director of our Adolescent Outpatient Service, including the Psychological/Substance Evaluation Service, Outpatient Services, Multisystemic Therapy Services, and Day Treatment since 1999.; Dr. Whitmore conducts research in the field of adolescent substance abuse. Currently, she is working under a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).

: Beverly (Bev) Sandoval - ARTS Administrative Services Director; Beverly (Bev) Sandoval - ARTS Administrative Services Director Bev graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1973, worked briefly as a teacher, but has spent most of her career since 1978 working for the University of Colorado Denver. Before coming to ARTS in 1994, she worked in the University Hospital Admissions Office, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, and the Grants and Contracts Office. Bev is responsible for University required administrative oversight and fiscal management.

: Joseph Sakai, MD; Dr. Sakai is the Director of Adolescent Psychiatric Services and is a faculty member in the Division of Substance Dependence, Department of Psychiatry, at the University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine.; He graduated with honors from Tulane Medical School in 1997, and completed a community medicine internship, general psychiatry residency, addiction psychiatry fellowship and research fellowship training at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Sakai is board certified in psychiatry, with added qualifications in addiction psychiatry. Both his clinical and research work focuses on adolescents with serious substance and conduct problems.