Implementation Updates To Behavioral Health Administration

The bill transfers certain administrative responsibilities from:

• The behavioral health administration (BHA) to the department of human services (department);
• The office of behavioral health (OBH) to the department;
• OBH to the BHA; and
• The department to the BHA.

The bill repeals OBH as an office in the department.

The bill requires the chief information officer of the office of information technology to invite the commissioner of the BHA to select a member to represent the BHA on the government data advisory board.

The bill adds the commissioner of the BHA to the health equity commission.

The bill states that the BHA is a health oversight agency charged with overseeing the behavioral health-care system in Colorado and discharging the BHA's duties.

The bill authorizes the BHA to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of administering any behavioral health program and service.

The bill requires a behavioral health safety net provider to include services that address the necessary language and cultural barriers to serve communities of color and other underserved populations.

Current law requires the department of public health and environment to continue issuing and renewing behavioral health entity licenses until June 30, 2023. The bill extends the date to September 30, 2023.The bill requires the statewide behavioral health safety net system to include services for adults who have a serious mental illness and children and youth who have a serious emotional disturbance.The bill authorizes the BHA to revoke or refuse to renew a behavioral health entity's license if the owner, manager, or administrator of the entity has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving conduct that the BHA determines could pose a risk to the health, safety, or welfare of the entity's consumers.The bill requires the BHA to include in the contract for designated behavioral health administrative services organizations (BHASO) a requirement that the BHASO perform appropriate fiscal management and quality oversight of providers in its network.

Current law requires the BHA to create one regional subcommittee of the advisory council for each behavioral health administrative services organization region. The bill requires the BHA to create a regional subcommittee structure of the advisory council that is not limited by the behavioral health administrative services organization region as part of the BHASO to promote local community input pertaining to behavioral health service needs. The bill adds certain members to the regional subcommittee.The bill requires the BHA to serve as the central organizing structure and responsible entity for jail-based behavioral health services.For state fiscal year 2023-24, the bill requires the BHA to safeguard partnerships between community-based behavioral health providers and rural hospitals by allocating money to community-based behavioral health providers.

To implement the care navigation program, the bill requires the BHA to provide, directly or through contract, care navigation services and align the care navigation services with the care coordination infrastructure.

The bill continuously appropriates money to the 988 crisis hotline cash fund.

Current law specifies the rights of a person detained by a certified peace officer or emergency medical services provider and transported to an outpatient mental health facility or facility designated by the commissioner of the BHA. The bill expands the rights to any person detained whether or not the person is transported to an outpatient mental health facility or facility designated by the commissioner of the BHA.

Current law states the BHA is responsible for licensing mental health residential facilities on and after July 1, 2023. The bill extends the date to October 1, 2023.The bill extends the date that behavioral health entities can legally operate without a license from July 1, 2024, to October 1, 2024.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)