Behavioral Health Administration Service Organizations (BHASOs) is the new way uninsured and underinsured people in Colorado get care coordination for behavioral health services starting on July, 1, 2025.
Last updated: March 31, 2025
Overview
Starting July 1, 2025, BHA is taking bold steps forward to provide behavioral health services through one system. BHA is working with Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) to launch and nurture a list of local providers to deliver a full spectrum of behavioral health services, including mental health, crisis, and substance use disorder services, across Colorado.
Establishing BHASOs was mandated in House Bill 22-1278, and it was one of the key recommendations made by the Behavioral Health Task Force. In alignment with one of the six key pillars of behavioral health reform, the task force recommended that BHA “develop a single point of entry (with ‘no wrong door’) to help individuals navigate the full continuum of behavioral health services.”
Think of BHASOs as a hub for all things behavioral health, offering care coordination to community members as well as helping with health care delivery administrative services like network development, contracting, payment, data collection, and quality improvement. Our shared goal is creating a streamlined and seamless model for the people of Colorado–including adults, children, and youth. We want to ensure people can get the community mental health, substance use disorder, and crisis services they need, no matter where they live in Colorado.
A new vision for Colorado’s behavioral health care system
When BHASOs launch on July 1, 2025, people will have one place to call to get mental health, crisis, and substance use disorder services. This will be an improvement from the current state behavioral health care model. For example, BHA’s current model funds different behavioral health services in different ways. That means the networks, vendors, approaches, and sometimes even standards of mental health, crisis, and substance use services have not always aligned in Colorado’s behavioral health system. In some cases, it was not clear where a person should turn to get their behavioral health needs met. With the BHASO system, people will work with a regional care coordinator to find services that are nearby and fit their situation.
How BHASOs improve care for the people of Colorado
Because BHASOs take a regional approach to care coordination, starting on July 1, 2025, when people look for services, a BHASO will help them find a local behavioral health service provider. BHASOs are part of the communities they serve, so they can work more effectively with BHA, local providers, and community leaders to address a person’s whole-health needs.
Impact on providers
Launching on July 1, 2025, BHASOs will combine the work of Managed Service Organizations (MSOs) and Administrative Service Organizations (ASOs) to create regional networks of safety net providers that serve uninsured and underinsured people in Colorado. This expanded network will provide regionally responsive care coordination for mental health treatment, substance use treatment, and crisis services.
I need help now
Please visit BHA’s For People in Colorado page to learn how to access behavioral health services.