HHS Committee Clears Bills to Streamline and Improve Colorado’s Behavioral Health System
Legislation would help improve access to services for folks with behavioral health needs, expand treatment options
DENVER, CO – The Health & Human Services Committee today approved three bipartisan bills to streamline and improve Colorado’s behavioral health system.
HB22-1278, sponsored by Senator Pete Lee, D-Colorado Springs, and Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, will help increase and streamline access to behavioral health services for individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders through the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA).
“Coloradans deserve easy access to the behavioral health care they need to maintain their health and well-being, but far too many folks are left with limited or no options for help,” Lee said. “Accessing our behavioral health system can be complex and difficult, which is why we’re pushing for the creation of a Behavioral Health Administration to help streamline services for people with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. With this bill, we will be able to ensure accessible, equitable and high quality care for all.”
The legislation would establish a comprehensive, accountable behavioral health safety net system available in every region of Colorado. This includes 15 different critical behavioral health services including substance use, crisis services, criminal justice diversion, trauma informed care, youth services and more.
The BHA will reduce bureaucracy by consolidating fragmented behavioral health networks into one behavioral health administrative services organization per region. The push for this legislation stems from patient frustration surrounding disjointed behavioral health care services. With this bill, patients would be able to more easily access behavioral health services in their community.
By July 1, 2024, the bill requires the BHA to establish:
Universal standards for accessibility and quality of care;
A behavioral health performance monitoring system;
A comprehensive behavioral health safety net system;
Regionally-based behavioral health administrative service organizations to ensure every region in Colorado has accessible and high quality services; and
A statewide behavioral health grievance system.
HB22-1303, sponsored by Senator Faith Winter, D-Westminster, and Senator Jim Smallwood, R-Parker, invests $65 million to expand inpatient and residential treatment options for adults in our state. Currently, Colorado lacks the residential treatment beds needed to treat individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders, including individuals with co-occuring conditions.
This bill supports the addition of 16 beds at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan and a further 125 residential treatment beds across the state for adults with urgent behavioral health needs who need long-term services and support. The facilities will provide integrated care to flexibly serve all populations, including individuals awaiting competency restoration services.
“Far too many of our neighbors are struggling with mental illness and substance use disorders. We must increase our capacity to support folks in need of urgent, immediate care,” said Winter. “This legislation will provide additional inpatient and residential treatment beds for folks in need, which will make a world of difference and allow more Coloradans to access the care they desperately need.”
HB22-1283, sponsored by Senator Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, and Senator Kevin Priola, R-Brighton, will make it easier for families and youth to access residential and outpatient care in Colorado. Right now, Colorado does not have adequate capacity to serve children and youth with complex behavioral health needs. As a result, too many children are sent out-of-state for treatment, far away from their families and support network. This bill will invest $54 million to support intensive youth and family residential and outpatient care, ensuring that children, youth, and families can access behavioral health treatment and services they need right here in Colorado.
“Colorado families are struggling to get the behavioral care their children need, and too often must send their kids out-of-state to get that care,” Buckner said. “This important legislation will invest $54 million to increase access to intensive youth and family residential and outpatient care, helping families access the critical care their kids need, much closer to home.”
These bills were developed based on recommendations from the state’s Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force.
The bills now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track the progress of HB22-1278 HERE, HB22-1303 HERE, and HB22-1283 HERE.