Colorado's Behavioral Health Bed Capacity Tracker

What is the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry?

What is the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

The Behavioral Health Bed Tracker will be an online centralized registry that will provide updated (at least daily) information on mental health and substance use disorder treatment capacity at facilities across Colorado. The Behavioral Health Capacity Registry will track availability for mental health and substance use disorder treatment beds. The Behavioral Health Bed Tracker will further track whether or not Opioid Treatment Programs are accepting new clients.

See: Who will be required to update their information in the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry

What substance use disorder (SUD) treatments are covered by the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

"Treatment" (specific to SUD treatment) is defined in 27-81-102(14), C.R.S. as "[...] the broad range of emergency, outpatient, intermediate, and inpatient services and care, including diagnostic evaluation, medical, psychiatric, psychological, and social service care, vocational rehabilitation, and career counseling that may be extended to a person with a substance use disorder, a person incapacitated by substances, a person under the influence of drugs, and a person intoxicated by alcohol."

Why does Colorado have a Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

During the 2019 Colorado legislative session, the Colorado General Assembly enacted House Bill 19-1287, which statutorily requires the creation of a statewide, online capacity registry for behavioral health. The bill mandates that the Office of Behavioral Health:

“[create] a behavioral health capacity tracking system of available treatment capacity and medication-assisted treatment programs [to] help families, law enforcement agencies, counties, court personnel, and emergency room personnel locate an appropriate treatment option for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises…[in order to]... decrease the time that individuals wait in emergency rooms, ensure that existing resources are maximized, and increase the likelihood that individuals in crisis receive services closer to their community.”

What is the impact of the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

The Behavioral Health Capacity Registry will increase efficiencies in placing individuals in mental health and substance use disorder treatment beds around the state by creating a centralized tracking registry that displays bed availability and inclusion/exclusion criteria for treatment. Ultimately, this registry will decrease the amount of time that individuals wait in emergency rooms, ensure that existing resources are maximized, and increase the likelihood that individuals in crisis receive services closer to their community.

Who is designing the Behavioral Bed Tracker?

The Behavioral Health Administration is designing the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry with input from an advisory committee, facility representatives from across Colorado, and other stakeholders. BHA is also using the lessons learned from other state registries to inform the development of the Behavioral Bed Tracker.

Will information from the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker be available to the public?

Initially, the Registry information will not be public-facing. However, the most effective solution enables  sharing capacity information with as many people as possible. BHA is exploring options to disseminate registry information to the public in later phases. 

How to use the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry 

What type of information will my facility need to enter?

• Facility types 1 - 6 above will be required to update their behavioral health bed availability (called “beds”).

• Facilities will not be required to register or update services that do not require an overnight stay (e.g., partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment).  Facility type 7 above (Opioid Treatment Programs) will be required to update whether or not they are accepting new clients (called “slots”).

When asking for bed capacity, is this facility capacity, staffed capacity, funded capacity, or pandemic capacity?

Providers should indicate the number of licensed behavioral health beds in their program in the “total capacity” field. We understand that there is often nuance to this, so there is a notes section if providers would like to add additional or clarifying information.

Do we need to provide exact numbers that are open or just that we have availability?

Providers should indicate the number of licensed behavioral health beds in their program in the “total capacity” field. We understand that there is often nuance to this, so there is a notes section if providers would like to add additional or clarifying information. 

Can EMResource accept daily electronic uploads?

At this time, electronic uploads are not possible. BHA continues to investigate this possibility, as well as securing additional funding needed for developing and maintaining such a system.

If we take walk-ins (unlimited) M-F, is there a space for that to be noted rather than daily updates?

Yes, there is a comment field for “Accepting OTP Admissions” where you can make notes specific to your program. 

For facilities with two or more programs (e.g., detox and residential), will those beds be differentiated in the system?

Yes. The system will track beds at the program level; therefore, facilities with more than one program type will enter information specifically for that program. 

Can I search for specific types of beds or inclusion/exclusion criteria?

In short, yes. Inclusion and exclusion criteria describe the specific populations and conditions that a bed/facility will accept for treatment. These criteria may include diagnosis, acuity of the client, age, gender, symptom severity, and co-morbidities. For example, a facility may only treat female clients, or may not be equipped to care for clients who are actively using substances. We are currently working with an advisory group and our vendor to determine the specific search criteria to help you locate an open bed.

Can I reserve a bed on the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry?

The Registry is not a reservation system. When a potentially available bed is located on this web site, providers must still contact the facility to discuss potential patient transfers and to make arrangements for services unless the program indicates that they have a “drop in” service.

Who will use the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry?

Who will have access to the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

The Behavioral Health Capacity Registry is available to registered users only. Programs that are required to update their information will have the ability to update their own information and search capacity at other sites. At the initial release, the Colorado Crisis Hotline and police officers and paramedics who currently have access to EMResource will be able to view capacity information.   

Who will be required to update their information in the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

The following entities will be required to update their BEHAVIORAL HEALTH bed or slot information; further refinement of facility type will be updated, as needed.

1. Facilities that provide evaluation and treatment to those held under an emergency commitment (pursuant to section 27-81-111 or section 27-82-107)
2. Facilities that provide evaluation and treatment to those held under an involuntary commitment (pursuant to section 27-81-112 OR SECTION 27-82-108)
3. Facilities that provide evaluation and treatment to those held under an civil commitment (pursuant to section SECTION 27-65-105). This includes crisis stabilization units, acute treatment units, community mental health centers, and hospitals (including psychiatric). 
4. Inpatient treatment facilities (i.e., State psychiatric, VA Medical Center, other hospitals)
5. Residential treatment facilities (i.e., SUD residential treatment centers (ASAM 3.1, 3.3, 3.5 &3.7), acute treatment center, crisis stabilization unit, crisis respite)
6. Withdrawal management facilities (ASAM 3.2WM & ASAM 3.7WM)
7. Opioid treatment programs that are licensed to compound, administer, or dispense a controlled substance (pursuant to section 27-80-204).

Medical providers not listed above who provide behavioral health treatment may request permission to participate in the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry from the Office of Behavioral Health.

Is this only for providers that take Medicaid?

No, the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry is designed to capture all behavioral health programs with beds in the state, regardless of payer source. The registry will have a field to capture which payers the program accepts.

Will first responders such as police and paramedics have access to the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

Yes. The data system supporting the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker is EMResource. EMResource currently allows access for police and paramedics. 

Are sober living homes that do not provide behavioral health treatment included in the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

No, sober living homes that do not provide behavioral health treatment are not included in the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry.

Are Residential Child Care Facilities (RCCFs) required to participate?

If RCCFs admit clients pursuant to 27-65-105, they are required to participate.

Do freestanding inpatient psychiatric providers need to participate in the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker?

If your facility or program provides inpatient treatment for mental health or substance use services, then your program must participate.

Do acute care hospitals that do not have dedicated behavioral health beds need to participate in the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry? For example, our facility does evaluations for mental health holds and involuntary commitment in our emergency department, but we don't have dedicated beds. 

OBH will be reviewing this participation question soon.

We provide 24-hour residential treatment for adults with major mental illness (not SUD), but are licensed under CDPHE as an assisted living residence. Will we need to report daily when this starts?

Assisted living centers are not required to participate in the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry.

Will Managed Service Organizations (MSOs) have view access?

With a few exceptions, access to EMResource is generally restricted to those entering information about their program. OBH, however, recognizes that the Capacity Behavioral Health Capacity Registry offers the most value when all providers and the general public can view the information. We are currently discussing options to enhance the ability to share this information, although that will not be possible at the initial launch.

Will outpatient mental health providers and prescribers have access to view?

The EMResource platform only enables registered users to access the system, which includes programs with behavioral health beds, the Crisis line, and some EMT and police officers.  However, to be most effective, it is important that as many people as possible are able to view the information. OBH is exploring avenues to provide broader access to the information. 

With the reduced appropriations for the Behavioral Health Bed Tracker in HB-1391, are providers still obligated to update their information?

Yes, once the system is up and running, providers will be obligated to update their bed information.

We are a community corrections facility that provides 3.1 and 3.7 level services to correctional clients who reside within our facilities. We do not accept community member placements. We serve only Diversion (sentenced), Transition (DOC), Condition of Parole and Condition of Probation (3.7). Are we required to participate?

Yes, this type of facility must participate, under HB 19-1287 (2)(e)(III) "residential treatment facilities."

How often will the Behavioral Bed Tracker be updated?

Per statute, providers are required to update their bed and slot availability at least daily. If capacity has not changed since the last update, a program does not need to update their information.

Do providers need to update their information by a certain time each day (e.g., before 10 a.m.)?

No, per legislation, program information must be updated “daily” so you will be in compliance if updates occur within a 24-hour period. Note, If capacity has not changed since the last update, a program does not need to update their information.

Does this need to be updated on weekends as well?

If the program is open, yes, the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry needs to be updated on weekends.

We are open on weekends and holidays, but have minimal staff and no intakes, so the data will not change. Are we going to require nurses to update during these times?

Yes, updates are required when programs are open.

OTPs have federally approved closures on Sundays and [federal] holidays, and limited staff on Saturdays. Will OTPs need to update the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry on those days?

If your OTP is closed, then you will not be required to update the Behavioral Health Capacity Registry. However, on days that your program is open, OTPs are required to update if they are accepting new clients.

Since the system defaults to your most recent selection, is the expectation to do a daily update even if your status has not changed?

If capacity has not changed since the last update, a program does not need to update their information.

Will updates be time stamped?

Yes, EMResource automatically creates a timestamp when updates are saved.