Dennis Heffern, LCSW

Dennis has worked in the human services field since 1988. The early part of his career was spent working with at-risk adolescents in residential settings, including community group homes and secure psychiatric cottage units, in New York State. His work with youth continued in his capacity as a high school teacher and counselor for the Jesuit Volunteers for three years in Belize, Central America.

Upon completion of a graduate degree in Social Work in 1997, Dennis relocated to Denver, CO, and resumed working with youth as the Program Supervisor for Urban Peak, a homeless shelter and drop-in-center for youth under 21. In 1998, Dennis began doing Medical Social Work with a 4-year stint at Denver Health Medical Center, working in both hospital and outpatient clinic settings. Serving a wide variety of medical specialties, a significant portion of this time was spent working with people living with HIV/AIDS, including time with Behavioral Health providing substance abuse treatment and methadone maintenance. Dennis’ current position has involved providing clinical social work services to adults and families affected by cancer at Kaiser Permanente’s Franklin Oncology Clinic in central Denver, since 2002.

Dennis is married to Jennifer, also a medical social worker, and they are parents to children, Megan (19) and Ethan (17), and recent new member of the family, Layla, a small Goldendoodle just over 1 year old! Self-care for Dennis will always be found on a mountain bike in the foothills of the Rockies, but if the trails are wet or snowy, he just might go skiing. While Dennis has adopted the Denver Broncos during his 20-plus years in Colorado, at heart he is a Buffalo Bills fan!