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.
To respond to the request for information (RFI) and give feedback on the BHASOs framework, visit http://www.colorado.gov/vss, select either Register or Public Access on the left side of the screen, and use the keyword search box to search for “Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations RFI”. The RFI is open for responses from August 28 - October 13, 2023 at 12:00PM 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.