Bipartisan Bills to Better Connect Coloradans with Behavioral Health Support Clear Committee
Legislation would make it easier & more efficient for people to navigate the state’s complex behavioral health system
DENVER, CO – The Senate Health & Human Services Committee today approved bipartisan legislation that seeks to better connect Coloradans with mental health conditions and substance use disorders with the appropriate care they need to maintain their health and well-being.
SB22-177, sponsored by Senators Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, and Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, appropriates $12.2 million to improve Colorado’s statewide care coordination infrastructure to better serve Coloradans seeking behavioral health care.
“While there will always be more work to do to expand and improve our behavioral health care system, we need to make sure Coloradans can fully utilize already existing behavioral health services,” said Pettersen. “With this new infusion of funds, we can more quickly and efficiently connect Coloradans with the care they need. Behavioral health care navigators will be well equipped to help Coloradans navigate these complex systems to deliver quality, accessible services to those that need the most support."
The legislation requires the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) to better train new and existing behavioral health care navigators on available behavioral health safety net system services and delivery, and on ways to better connect individuals seeking care with the support they need.
The bill also seeks to cut red tape associated with provider enrollment and credentialing for navigators and care coordination providers, so they can spend less time on paperwork and more time helping Coloradans in need.
The committee also approved HB22-1302, sponsored by Senators Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County, and Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, which invests $35 million to improve behavioral health outcomes by better integrating physical and behavioral health care.
“Anyone who has tried to access behavioral health care in Colorado knows how hard it is to navigate the system as it is today,” said Jaquez Lewis. “That’s why we’re working to fix this broken system so that it meets people where they are before a crisis occurs. This bill will ensure that our primary care physicians are better equipped to connect patients with the appropriate behavioral health services they need.”
The bill will provide grants to primary care practices to integrate behavioral health care into their clinical models, helping Coloradans access whole person care and early behavioral health interventions before a crisis. This transformational investment will increase access to mental health and substance use disorder screening and treatment and help coordinate referrals to other levels of care.
Both bills were developed based on recommendations from the state’s Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force.
The legislation now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track the progress of the SB22-177 HERE and HB22-1302 HERE.