BHA staff are responsible for a wide array of programs, services and mission-critical functions including, but not limited to:
- Licensing, designation and regulatory standards
- Policy development
- Contracting for service delivery
- Consultation, training and technical assistance
- Inter-agency collaborations and partnerships
- Data collection, reporting and analysis, evaluation
- Grants management
Expand the sections below to learn more about our community programs.
- Behavioral Health Practice Guidelines
Behavioral Health Practice Guidelines
Practice guidelines are systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. Practice guidelines assist patients and practitioners in making decisions about health care. Learn more about behavioral practice guidelines below.
Adolescent Practice Guidelines
- Colorado State Guidelines for Psychotropic Medication Use for Children and Adolescents, October 2017. Colorado Department of Human Services | Department of Health Care Policy and Finance.
- State Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Practice Guide, September 2014. The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD), Inc.
- Practice Guidelines for Adolescents with Co-Occurring Substance Use and Psychiatric Disorders, June 2010. Division of Behavioral Health.
- Circle Program
The Circle Program is the only state-funded intensive residential program designed for people with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders and which addresses clients' criminogenic risks in addition to their behavioral health needs. There are three community-based Circle Program locations in Colorado. Visit the Circle Program web page to learn more.
- COACT — Trauma Informed System of Care
COACT Colorado
What is COACT? Colorado's Trauma Informed System of Care, or COACT Colorado, is supported by a cooperative agreement between the Colorado Department of Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), administered by the Behavioral Health Administration in partnership with the Office of Children, Youth, and Families, and other local partners. The system of care in Colorado builds on existing infrastructure such as the Collaborative Management Program (HB 04-1451). All child and youth serving agencies are involved, including the public mental health system, child welfare, juvenile justice, and education. Visit the COACT program page to learn more.
- Community Mental Health Centers
The Behavioral Health Administration contracts with 17 community mental health centers (CMHCs) for the provision of mental health treatment services to individuals and families are low-income or not covered by insurance throughout Colorado. Visit the CMHC web page for more information.
- Criminal Justice Services
Criminal Justice Services
The Criminal Justice Services Team within in the Division of Community Behavioral Health is tasked with providing program oversight, technical assistance, and programmatic monitoring of services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. Visit the Criminal Justice Services page to learn more.
- Crisis Services
Crisis Services
Colorado Crisis Services is the statewide behavioral health crisis response system offering residents mental health, substance use or emotional crisis help, information and referrals. Its mission is to strengthen Colorado’s mental health system by providing Coloradans with greater access to crisis services wherever they are at 24/7/365 regardless of ability to pay.
Colorado Crisis Services is managed by the Behavioral Health Administration and provides confidential, professional, and immediate support on the phone, text, or in person at our walk-in centers. Learn more or visit coloradocrisisservices.org.
- Culturally Informed and Inclusive Behavioral Health Program
Culturally Informed and Inclusive Behavioral Health Program
The Behavioral Health Administration seeks to improve culturally competent behavioral health care, develop stronger links between clients and services, more accurately and effectively meet client needs and improve client outcomes through provider support, to include development of resources, trainings and technical assistance. Learn more about Culturally Informed and Inclusive Behavioral Health Program Services.
- Data and Evaluations Systems and Services
Data and Evaluation Systems and Services
- Evidence Based and Promising Practices Programs
Evidence Based and Promising Practices Programs
The Behavioral Health Administration is committed to supporting the best quality of care for the citizens of Colorado and invested in developing and deploying the expertise within the BHA to support service providers. Through resource development, technical assistance, training, enhanced communication strategies, and contract monitoring, the BHA seeks to build provider capacity in offering evidence based and promising practices to ensure the highest quality of care and the best possible outcomes for individuals and families in need. Visit the Evidence Based and Promising Practices Programs page to learn more.
- Individual Placement and Support Supported Employment
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Program
IPS Supported employment is a program that helps people with mental illness find and keep jobs, while at the same time providing employers with access to motivated employees. From Europe to Australia and across many states in the United States, mental health centers and local businesses are partnering to provide real, meaningful jobs to people with mental illness. Visit the Individual Placement and Support page to learn more.
- Opioid Use Disorder Programs
Opioid Use Programs and Services
The Behavioral Health Administration provides oversight of and purchases opioid treatment services, including traditional substance use disorder treatment and opioid treatment programs (OTPs). The BHA provides some oversight for office-based opioid treatment (OBOT), and training support for primary care providers who prescribe or would like to prescribe buprenorphine. Visit the page on our role, opioid resources, including treatment.
- Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) | State Mental Health Authority (SMHA)
Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) | State Mental Health Authority (SMHA)
The Behavioral Health Administration acts at the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) for the federally required Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) program for clients entering Medicaid Certified Nursing Facilities within Colorado, which is managed by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance. The SMHA is responsible for making the Mental Illness (MI) Specialized Services (SS) and Nursing Facility (NF) determinations, based upon an evaluation conducted by an independent entity. Visit the PASRR|SMHA page to learn more.
- Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
The Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Program is a federal formula grant to assist homeless persons with serious mental illness. The grant was authorized under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-645, Title V, Subtitle B), and is administered by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). PATH is designed to provide funds to each state to support services for persons with serious mental illnesses (SMI), as well as individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD), who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Visit the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) page to learn more.
- Recovery Support Services
Recovery Support Services
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recovery is a process of change through which individuals with mental and/or substance use disorders improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. Visit the Recovery Support Services page to learn more about how the BHA is working with partners to make Recovery Support Services available in Colorado.
- Substance Use Emergency Commitment/Involuntary Commitment
In Colorado, an individual may be committed to substance use treatment if a judge orders it through the Involuntary Commitment process. This is considered a civil commitment and goes through the civil courts. If granted, a civil commitment is an order from the judge for the person to complete the treatment that is determine by the Behavioral Health Administration. Visit here to learn more about Substance Use Emergency Commitment/Involuntary Commitment.
- Substance Use Prevention and Early Intervention
The Behavioral Health Administration collaborates with CDPHE on strategy and resource allocation for primary prevention strategies executed by CDPHE. These are strategies focused on promoting protective factors and mitigating risk factors associated with poor mental health and substance misuse for the whole population across Colorado’s communities. This work focuses upstream on preventing behavioral health concerns before they occur. Visit the Community Substance Use Prevention and Early Intervention page to learn more.
- Substance Use Services for Pregnant and Parenting Moms
Tough as a Mother
Tough as a Mother is a public awareness campaign to help connect Colorado mothers with dependent children to substance use treatment providers in their communities. Visit toughasamother.org to learn about treatment options.
Special Connections
Special Connections provides gender-responsive treatment for pregnant and parenting women who are Medicaid eligible in order to maximize the chance of a healthy birth and to provide postpartum treatment services in order to maintain gains made during pregnancy. Special Connections providers offer pregnancy risk assessments, care coordination services, group counseling sessions, individual counseling sessions, health education groups, and residential substance use disorder treatment in a women-only setting. Please find the list of Special Connections providers below.
Provider Area of Service Phone ARTS - The Haven Mother's House: Residential and outpatient provider, childcare available at Baby Haven through CCAP Denver, Denver County 303.734.5000 Mile High Behavioral Healthcare - Aspen Miracles Center: Residential and outpatient provider, children can remain with mother in treatment Arvada, Jefferson County 303.426.7848 Crossroads' Turning Points: Baltimore Ave: Residential and outpatient levels of care, children can remain with mother in treatment Pueblo, Pueblo County 719.545.1181 North Range Behavioral Health: Wings Program Greeley, Weld County 970.350.5330
970.347.2120
Valley Hope: New Directions for Families Parker, Arapahoe County 720.623.0747 MindSprings: Women's Recovery Center Grand Junction, Mesa County 970.245.4213 Centennial Mental Health Center: Outpatient provider Sterling, CO 970.522.4392 Contact
Kallen Thornton, Manager of Gender Responsive Services
Behavioral Health Administration
kallen.thornton@state.co.us- Transitional Services
Transitional Services
The Behavioral Health Administration funds two separate programs through Rocky Mountain Human Services that help clients of all ages who have barriers to discharging from a hospital and/or are in the hospital or withdrawal management centers frequently due to behavioral health issues. The programs help clients get connected services within the community. Click on the program descriptions below to learn more.