Transforming Behavioral Health Together
The mission of the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is to “Co-create a people-first behavioral health system that meets the needs of all people in Colorado”. That co-creation is only possible when grounded in meaningful collaboration with state and local government agencies, community partners and community members. From state staff to providers, from legislators to individuals, your perspectives, experiences & needs matter.
We thank our partners for their passion, contribution, and commitment to transforming the behavioral health system and encourage everyone to join us in the journey toward making behavioral health care accessible, affordable, and equitable for all people in Colorado.
Our Partner Statement
We, the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, are eager to collaborate with statewide partners in creating opportunities for all people in Colorado to achieve mental wellness. While much of our work is focused on those in need of behavioral health supports, we are equally committed to creating valuable experiences and outcomes within our partnership. Our people-first promise galvanizes us to be a dependable, strategic, and passionate partner, all with a focus on breaking through barriers and siloes to achieve our greater purpose. It is our aim to operate as a community anchor, supporting your efforts while elevating our collective cause. Together, we will do the exceedingly important work of being innovative change-makers, setting a new standard for comprehensive, equitable, and effective behavioral health care across our state.
Through this partnership, may we all be dedicated advocates of:
- Acting responsibly and in the best interests of all people in Colorado.
- Operating with a people-first, approach - acknowledging when harm has been done and taking purposeful action towards meaningful remedies.
- Upholding our shared ideals and values to function as a conduit of change, not a source of conflict.
- Disclosing all relevant data and metrics, holding ourselves accountable to agreed-upon measurements of success and effectiveness.
- Embracing openness, where readily sharing information and insights creates efficiencies and expands possibilities.
About Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations
Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) are new organizations the BHA has been tasked with creating through House Bill 22-1278. BHASOs will establish, administer, and maintain regional networks of behavioral healthcare providers that serve people across Colorado. BHASOs will consolidate the current fragmented behavioral healthcare provider networks into regions, emphasizing a “no wrong door” approach. BHA is working with BHASOs to create a network of community providers called Colorado LIFTS, which will be available July 1, 2025.
Individuals seeking care have expressed that they struggle to locate and receive behavioral health services in the current behavioral healthcare model. The goal is for BHASOs to facilitate accessible, affordable, and easy-to-navigate behavioral health services to help people in Colorado achieve whole person health. BHASOs will also identify care gaps and promote access to services through a network of providers by collaborating with local law enforcement and county agencies, including county departments of human or social services and local public health agencies, as well as schools and school districts.
Introducing BHA's BHASO Vendors
BHA Commissioner Dannette R. Smith made the following statement announcing the distribution of a Notice of Intent to Award to two prospective Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs):
“Several months ago, BHA issued a bold call to action to the behavioral health community: join us in an effort to create a streamlined, seamless model of high-quality, affordable care, where an entity with deep knowledge of the unique cultural and linguistic needs of its community, including adults, children, and youth, is accountable for the full continuum of community mental health, substance use disorder, and crisis services in its region.
“We were thrilled that qualified and purpose-driven organizations that share BHA’s vision for behavioral health care in Colorado answered that call. Following a meticulous evaluation and rigorous objective scoring process, conducted by committees of experts and individuals with lived experience in each region, BHA issued Notices of Intent to Award to Signal Behavioral Health Network and Rocky Mountain Health Plans. These two organizations demonstrated deep roots and strong relationships in the communities that they will be responsible for serving, and articulated thoughtful strategies for addressing the geographically unique challenges that the BHASO networks will confront.
“Both Signal Behavioral Health Network, founded in 1996, and Rocky Mountain Health Plans, founded in 1974, are Colorado companies with long histories of serving the state’s public health needs. Both organizations’ proposals are equity-focused and bring exceptional value and experience to Colorado’s behavioral health system transformation.
BHA looks forward to working closely with Signal and RMHP in the coming months and beyond; BHA will provide structure, standards, and guidance to BHASOs as they build their regional networks.
The BHASO service model is broken down into four regions around the state:
The awardees for each region are as follows:
- Region 1 Awardee: Rocky Mountain Health Plans
- Region 1 includes the counties of Alamosa, Archuleta, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Fremont, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, La Plata, Lake, Las Animas, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Summit
- Region 2 Awardee: Signal Behavioral Health Network
- Region 2 includes the counties of Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Elbert, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Larimer, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, Yuma
- Region 3 Awardee: Signal Behavioral Health Network
- Region 3 includes the counties of Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, El Paso, Gilpin, Jefferson, Park, Teller
- Region 4 Awardee: Signal Behavioral Health Network
- Region 4 includes the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas
This award is subject to a two-week protest period, ending on October 15, 2024, at 5 PM.
Follow Along with BHASO Implementation and Development
For more information on how the BHA is approaching partnership and collaboration throughout its implementation, please read the Plan for the Creation of the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) which was submitted to Colorado Legislature on November 1, 2021. This plan provides detail on how the BHA is expected to operate. It covers the functions of the BHA, as well as how an aligned, strategic approach will advance accountability and transparency. Read the Executive Summary, available in English and Spanish.
The BHA is proud to collaborate with numerous state agencies. Please visit the following links for information and resources from our partner agencies.
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Colorado Department of Education
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Colorado Department of Human Services
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Colorado Department of Public Safety
Colorado Department of Corrections
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies
- Access the latest info and resources: Bookmark this website and continue to check in for the latest behavioral health resources and information on the BHA’s efforts.
- Share your thoughts: Submit your ideas, questions or concerns via the feedback form
- Stay informed: Subscribe to our BHA newsletter for monthly updates on Colorado’s behavioral health reform efforts.
The creation of the BHA is based on robust partner engagement including interviews, focus groups and open forums with state personnel, community partners and individuals with lived experience. Click here for a project dashboard highlighting elements of the robust partner engagement conducted from January 2021 - October 2022 including individuals engaged and diverse perspectives represented. The State of Colorado, in partnership with Health Management Associates, a Colorado-based independent consulting and research firm, led the engagement process which included the following:
State Agency Engagement
HMA used a tiered discovery process to engage leadership, subject matter experts and others within the following select state agencies:
- Colorado Department of Agriculture
- Colorado Department of Education
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
- Colorado Department of Higher Education
- Colorado Department of Human Services
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
- Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
- Colorado Department of Public Safety
- Colorado Department of Corrections
- Colorado Department of Local Affairs
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies
- Colorado Division of Veteran Affairs
- Colorado Judicial Branch
- Colorado Workforce Development Council
HMA also utilized a number of data tools for quantitative data—supplementing and verifying accuracy with agency staff as needed.
Partner & Community Member Engagement
HMA has engaged various partners and community members via targeted focus groups and open forums including representatives from counties / local government, system advocates, hospitals, primary care, child advocates, Regional Accountable Entities (RAE), Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC), Managed Service Organizations (MSO) and Administrative Services Organizations (ASO), and consumers. A second open forum was conducted to connect directly with individuals, peers and family members with behavioral health lived experience.
Summary of Themes & Voices
HMA conducted interviews, targeted focus groups and an open forum in April and May of 2021 to discuss draft models for how the BHA could be formed to best serve Coloradans. Click here for a summary featuring an overview of common themes, takeaways, quotes and questions from the engagement sessions. Additionally, HMA led targeted focus groups and an open forum in September and October 2021 to provide stakeholders with an overview of the proposed plan of how the BHA could work, who may make up the BHA, what the BHA could offer that is new, a timeline for implementation, and next steps. Click here for a recap of common themes, takeaways, and questions from the engagement sessions.