Behavioral Health Administration Implementation

Page Updated: Oct. 10, 2024

CHA Advocacy Principle: Promote improvements in behavioral health infrastructure and continuum of care as well as policies to coordinate care across the spectrum of services to ensure right care at right time in the right care setting.

What Has Been Completed:

Origin: House Bill (HB) 22-1278 operationalized the newly formed Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), a new cabinet-led agency, housed within the Department of Human Services. The BHA was officially established on July 1, 2022, and will spend the next few years establishing a comprehensive, accountable behavioral health safety net system throughout Colorado, which will include 14 critical behavioral health services that will be available in every region of the state.

Background: The BHA is meant to reduce bureaucracy by consolidating fragmented behavioral health networks into one behavioral health administrative services organization (BHASO) per region and aligning BHASO regions with Medicaid regions. In November, the State Board of Human Services approved the final version of the BHA provider rule packet. 

Outstanding Items: 

The BHA is proposing new rules following the announcement of the agency’s Five Priorities in July. There are three key categories of rules: System Rules, Administrative Rules, and Provider Rules. draft rules and participate in one of the scheduled meetings to share your feedback. Preview these draft rules and participate in one of the scheduled meetings to share your feedback.  

The virtual meeting schedule is below:   

• • Register for September 18 |11 a.m. – 1 p.m.   
  • Register for October 1 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.  
  • Register for October 10 | 1 – 3 p.m.  
  • Register for October 15 | Noon – 2 p.m.  

If you are unable to attend the meeting, please submit comments and questions via the 2024 Rules Feedback Google Form.   

 Resources: 

• • Final BHASO Regions
  • Recordings for past BHA townhalls
  • Final Version of the BHA Provider Rule Packet
  • CHA Advocacy Successes
  • CHA Oct. 6 Letter on Rule Changes
  • CHA Sept. 8 Letter on Rule Changes
  • CHA June 23 Letter on Rule Changes
  • CHA March 3 Board of Human Services Letter
  • The BHA laws and rules page includes information on upcoming stakeholder meetings and opportunities for stakeholder input
  • CHA Timeline of Statutory Deadlines
  • BHA Strengthening the Behavioral Health Workforce in Colorado: An Approach to Community Partnership
  • BHA 2022 Behavioral Health Plan
  • BHA 2023-2025 Strategic Plan

Meetings/Dates of Note:

• • BHA Stakeholder Calendar
  • Jan. 1, 2024: Changes go into effect
  • Jan 31, 2024: First Hospital Reporting Quarter on Boarding and Extended Stay Patients Due (a memo from the BHA on the reporting requirements can be found here and the Google form to report can be found here)
  • Fall 2024: BHASO Winning Proposals Announced
  • Oct. 15: Rulemaking Feedback Opportunity

CHA Staff Contact: Megan Axelrod, CHA senior director regulatory policy and federal affairs, [email protected]