Voices for Healthier Minds Interview Series with special guest, Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons

Join Mental Health Colorado’s President & CEO, Vincent Atchity, and Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons, for this live interview.

Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons is the elected Sheriff of Summit County, Colorado, and a nationally recognized leader in public safety innovation, behavioral health, substance abuse, and criminal justice reform. With more than 36 years of law enforcement experience, Sheriff FitzSimons has dedicated his career to advancing a model of policing that is collaborative, evidence-based, and rooted in service to the community.

Sheriff FitzSimons began his law enforcement career with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1990 before joining the Summit County Sheriff’s Office in 2006 and then being elected the 34th Sheriff of Summit County in 2016. Today, he leads an agency of more than 120 sworn and civilian professionals responsible for serving one of Colorado’s premier mountain communities and millions of annual visitors.

Throughout his career, Sheriff FitzSimons has been committed to building strong partnerships and collaborative relationships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as community organizations. He is widely recognized for his leadership in advancing innovative approaches to behavioral health, working to disentangle mental illness and substance use disorders from the criminal justice system by expanding community-based treatment, crisis response, diversion, and recovery initiatives. His efforts have helped reshape how law enforcement partners, along with healthcare providers, and community organizations, improve outcomes for individuals in crisis while enhancing public safety.

Sheriff FitzSimons serves on numerous local and statewide boards, commissions, and committees focused on public safety, behavioral health, and criminal justice policy. He serves on the Legislative Committee and Board of Directors of the County Sheriffs of Colorado, where he works directly with legislators, statewide stakeholders, and fellow sheriffs and has been an active voice in shaping legislation affecting public safety, behavioral health, substance abuse treatment, criminal justice, and local government. His collaborative leadership has earned statewide recognition, including being named Mental Health Colorado’s 2025 Advocate of the Year for his contributions to behavioral health reform.