New behavioral health services system to consolidate current fragmented system, improving access to care
DENVER, CO (August 30, 2023) - The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is asking behavioral health professionals, advocates, current providers, and other partners to help build a new framework for behavioral health services in Colorado by responding to a request for information (RFI).
The framework will create Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) that 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.
The legislature mandated BHA create the new consolidated framework through House Bill 22-1278.
“BHA believes systems that impact people in Colorado should be co-created by people in Colorado. I encourage advocates who are passionate about improving the way people access services, and professionals working to provide those services, to give us feedback on the BHASOs framework by responding to our request for information (RFI). BHASOs will transform the behavioral health system in Colorado, impacting how every person navigates and receives behavioral health care,” said Michelle Barnes, Interim BHA Commissioner.
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.
BHA welcomes and values feedback from all professionals currently providing behavioral healthcare to people in Colorado and advocates who've experienced the inadequacies of the current system to help us make sure the BHASOs framework meets the needs of all people in Colorado. Learn how to view the RFI, submit a response, and ask a question about the RFI, below:
Instructions to view the RFI:
- Visit http://www.colorado.gov/vss
- Select either “Register” or “Public Access” on the left side of the screen
- Please note, it is not necessary to “Register” to view and provide feedback for the BHA BHASOs RFI
- Use the keyword search box
- Search for: Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations
- Select “Details”
- Select “Attachments”
- Select all the documents you want to view
- The documents will download onto your computer or mobile device
Instructions to submit a response:
- Please compose your responses in a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx format). Your response should reference which RFI Response question you are answering. You do not need to answer all questions. RFI Response 1 is the only required question.
- There is no page limit.
- Email the responses and any other required documents in one zip file as an attachment to this email address: RL___RF.njyxq5du5mwyuhn7@u.box.com.
- The last day to respond to the RFI is November 3 at 5:00 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST).
Instructions to submit a question about the RFI:
- Vendors may submit questions at the following Google form link: https://tinyurl.com/BHASOquestionform
- The Department may answer some, all, or none of the questions asked by posting them publicly at https://tinyurl.com/BHASOanswers
- Questions received by each Friday at 5:00:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST) will be publicly answered by the following Wednesday at 5:00:00 pm Mountain Standard Time.
- The last day to ask questions about the RFI is October 27 at 5:00 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST).
To stay up to date with BHASO development, visit https://bha.colorado.gov/our-partners.
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About the Behavioral Health Administration
The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is a regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that Colorado has behavioral health services that are accessible and affordable. The BHA is instrumental in achieving the State's vision that all people in Colorado get services in the right place, at the right time, to achieve whole person health and wellbeing. Find us online at https://bha.colorado.gov/ or follow us on social media at @BHAConnect.