1. Mending the Safety Net

We prioritize strengthening connections across the behavioral health system—from civil commitment and law enforcement to criminal justice and outpatient care—to close gaps between inpatient and community treatment.

This legislative session we are supporting efforts to better understand the array of existing crisis response initiatives around the state, including co-responder models and crisis stabilization units, and the reimbursement barriers hindering the wider implementation of these proven programs. Our goal is to ensure individuals in behavioral health crisis receive immediate and appropriate care. CBHC and its members continue to work with stakeholders in state government, law enforcement, courts, corrections and hospitals to expand the resources for involuntary and inpatient behavioral health treatment.

At the same time, we are continuing discussions with policymakers about how to thoughtfully evolve the regulatory structure to ensure accountability and transparency without imposing regulatory burdens that adversely affect client experience, contribute to provider burnout and exacerbate access challenges.

2. Funding the Safety Net

Adequate funding is crucial for stable and accessible behavioral health services. In this challenging budget climate, this means maintaining current Medicaid funding and protecting essential benefits; prioritizing direct services and efficient administration; and improving eligibility and enrollment processes to ensure that all who qualify for Medicaid are enrolled. To support these efforts, we are exploring options to expand the number of providers who can serve as Medicaid assistance or enrollment sites, pursuing opportunities to maximize federal matching funds under current federal law (including models like Certified Community Behavioral Healthcare Clinics), and safeguarding Colorado’s Medicaid system from federal changes.

We prioritize both expanding access to care and securing sustainable funding for Colorado’s behavioral health safety net. During this legislative session, we’re supporting a bill that broadens the definition of “medical necessity” for private insurance coverage of behavioral health services. This will ensure that more evidence-based treatments and services are covered, increasing access to care for commercially-insured individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. Furthermore, we’re supporting an effort to create a new funding stream for primary care and behavioral health safety net services, while also collaborating with all safety net stakeholders to develop additional long-term funding strategies that can benefit all safety net providers and the populations they serve.