Commissioner and structure
Commissioner
Last updated February 27, 2026
Dannette R. Smith, Commissioner
Biography
Commissioner Smith has spent 30 years serving families, children, the aging population, and people experiencing homelessness. She’s led human services departments across the country, most recently serving nearly five years as the Chief Executive Officer at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services where she led five divisions: Behavioral Health, Children and Family Services, Developmental Disabilities, Medicaid & Long-Term Care, and Public Health.
During her tenure in Nebraska, Smith convened a statewide behavioral health task force; focused on opportunities to improve behavioral health services for adults and children, as well as initiated the exploration of Medicaid utilization as a payer for behavioral health services; and redesigned the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center system to include intensive clinical and therapeutic services in the juvenile justice system. While in Virginia Beach, she collaborated with the Sheriff’s Office to provide enhanced behavioral health services in the jail system and provided strategic oversight in the development of the “First Responders” initiative to provide behavioral health services in the community with the Virginia Beach Police Department as part of their service calls.
The 2023 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), Commissioner Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University and a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois Chicago. She’s also completed the Kennedy School of Government, Child Welfare Executive Leadership Program at Harvard.
Structure and governance
The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) serves as Colorado’s single state entity responsible for leading, coordinating, and strengthening the statewide behavioral health system.
Established on July 1, 2022, BHA was created by the General Assembly to unify behavioral health policy, funding, and oversight under a centralized structure. BHA is led by a Cabinet-level Commissioner appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Organizational structure
BHA is organized into six internal divisions that collectively oversee:
- Statewide behavioral health strategy and policy
- Crisis response and care coordination systems
- Administration of state and federal behavioral health funding
- Cross-agency and cross-sector alignment
- Accountability, performance oversight, and system improvement
This structure is designed to support a coordinated, people-centered behavioral health system that advances access, quality, and equity across Colorado.
Governance and advisory structure
The BHA Advisory Council (BHAAAC) plays a central role in the governance framework. The Council brings forward the voices of individuals with lived experience, family members, providers, local government representatives, and subject matter experts to inform the Administration’s priorities and decision-making.
BHA works in close partnership with the Governor’s Office and Cabinet agencies to ensure alignment across health, human services, public safety, education, housing, and other critical systems that impact behavioral health.
Regional system structure: BHASOs
As authorized by House Bill 22-1278, BHA established regional Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) to serve as system intermediaries responsible for:
- Managing provider networks for mental health, substance use, and crisis services
- Supporting care coordination across regions
- Strengthening accountability and service integration
BHASOs provide a structured pathway for individuals — particularly those who are uninsured or underinsured — to access behavioral health services and navigation support.
The people of Colorado can connect to services through the OwnPath Care Directory and Colorado LIFTS care navigation system, which provide access to a statewide network of behavioral health providers and supports.