Ty Smith

Background

About Ty Smith

Ty Smith is a Colorado native and long-time peer (person with a disability) advocate who specializes in the mental health system, quality of life measures, and trauma informed care. He created and implemented Youth Voice, a cross-disability youth advocacy group that focused on creating youth subject matter experts, providing training for effective policy and advocacy activities, and providing on-going supports to encourage community engagement. At age 37, Ty has thirteen years as a state and federal public health policymaker and eight years as a peer provider in the Colorado behavioral health system. He is a recent graduate of MSU Denver with a Bachelor of Science degree in Administering Non-profits for High-risk Youth. He is currently the Chair of Colorado Statewide Independent Living Council (CO SILC) and Chair of the CSILC Policy Committee, a member of Securing Employment and Economic Keys to Stability (SEEKS), Chair of the Peer Subcommittee for SEEKS, member of Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council (BHPAC), member of Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal & Juvenile Justice System Task Force (MHDCJS), and member of Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI), Executive Board member of CO Federation of Families, and sits on numerous committees.