Colorado established the Office of Behavioral Health in 2022 to develop a more effective and consistent system of mental health services across the state.
After two years, some turmoil and two leaders, new Director Dannette Smith said the Office of Behavioral Health is achieving its intended results.
This should create an innovative structure for behavioral health in the state, improving accessibility and quality, Smith said.
“Things don’t change because they have to,” Smith said. “Coloradoans expect that. It’s a no-brainer for me.”
Administration efforts include establishing a database to track various behavioral health programs and their effectiveness, restructuring the grievance process, and creating a statewide safety net for the mental health of seriously ill youth. It will be done.
One of the primary focuses of the Department of Behavioral Health is the establishment of behavioral health administrative services organizations that will fund and oversee mental health services at the local level.
Erin Wester, deputy director of the Department of Behavioral Health, said the Behavioral Health Administrative Services organization operates similarly to the state’s four Medicaid regional responsibility agencies, essentially managing Medicaid/Medicare services and reimbursement for a particular region on the state’s behalf. Then he said.
The Behavioral Health Services Organization directs behavioral health services on behalf of the Office of Behavioral Health Services.
Wester said the Behavioral Health Services organization will allow communities to identify and close local behavioral health gaps at a much more detailed level than administrators in other parts of the state. Dew.
Wester said behavioral health administrative services organizations have the financial flexibility to establish and fund services that meet local needs without justifying statewide applicability. He said that
Smith said this approach allows behavioral health service organizations to learn what outreach methods are most effective in their areas and allows them to work more closely with local providers. , it should also lead to better connections between existing services and the community.
“When you think about core services and behavioral health, many of those services are already here in Colorado, but the public doesn’t know where to access them and how to use them,” Smith said. Ta. “(Behavioral health services organizations) are going to be the north star and the driving force in how we start to think about providing behavioral health services.”
Smith said the Behavioral Health Management Services organization will coordinate these services and providers so that Coloradans have access to care on a continuum rather than taking advantage of whatever is available at the last minute.
“I want to connect the hospital system with (behavioral health care services organizations),” Smith said. “When someone is escalating, we want to be able to get them in the hospital if that’s the treatment, but we also intentionally, through the treatment model, get that person down… and then the next thing we do is I want to help the person reintegrate into society.”
Behavioral Health Administration Service Organization regions are the same as Medicaid Regional Accountability Entities regions, which a Behavioral Health Administration press release says is intended to reduce administrative burden on health care providers and confusion for residents seeking care. states.
Mesa County is part of Region 1, which includes all of the Western Slope and much of southern Colorado, extending east into Las Animas and Pueblo counties.
The interim behavioral health management services organization operator was announced on Oct. 2, with Rocky Mountain Health Plans selected to manage Region 1. Rocky Mountain Health Plans is also the region’s Medicaid responsible entity and is a subsidiary of UnitedHealthcare.
According to a press release from the Department of Behavioral Health, this announcement is a notice of intent to award the award, so there is a two-week protest period until Oct. 15, during which the award recipient may be changed.
Rocky Mountain Health Plan officials declined to comment until the protest period ends and the decision is final.
Signal Behavioral Health Network has achieved Behavioral Health Management Services Organization status in Regions 2, 3, and 4. Signal is an Inglewood-based nonprofit that began expanding its substance use management services more than 20 years ago.
“These two organizations demonstrate deep roots and strong relationships in the communities they serve and are well placed to address the geographically unique challenges that the (behavioral health services organization) network will face. We have clearly laid out a thoughtful strategy,” Smith said in a statement. .
Wester said behavioral health management services organizations will not be formally contracted until January, at which point behavioral health management services organizations must contract with local providers and begin management activities by early July. .
