Why Behavioral Health Reforms Should Stay at the Forefront Amid Colorado’s Budget Cuts

“The hope that kills you” is a phrase that reminds us to manage our expectations. When things don’t go as planned, disappointment can hit hard. I know this feeling all too well, but I still hold onto hope—especially for Colorado’s efforts to reform our behavioral health system.

Back in 2019, Colorado’s governor launched the Behavioral Health Task Force, highlighting the urgent need for better behavioral health services. This need hasn’t gone away. Many of us have experienced mental health or substance use struggles, either personally or through loved ones. The demand for help surged during COVID-19, and even now, support is crucial.

It’s tough to find professional help nowadays. We face long waitlists, limited providers, and insurance that often doesn’t cover needed services. In 2020, the task force produced the Blueprint for Behavioral Health Reform, which includes over 150 recommendations to improve accessibility, accountability, and affordability of services. Some progress is being made, with plans for a new Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) to coordinate all behavioral health efforts in Colorado.

This blueprint is a long-term guide aimed at reforming our system over many years—possibly a decade or more. Our initial goal focused on vulnerable populations, but ultimately, we want to benefit everyone in Colorado. Sadly, we’re still not reaching those most in need.

The BHA began with a lot of enthusiasm, but it inherited many challenges. It needs to set new care standards, coordinate statewide care, and create a complaint system, as outlined in House Bill 1278. Leadership changes and staff turnover have slowed progress, but it’s essential to keep faith in what our system can become.

Recent changes show promise. By July 2025, new Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations will provide coordinated care and bridge the gap between mental health and substance use services. The BHA’s performance hub will help us evaluate our system’s effectiveness. We’re also focusing on strengthening our workforce through an online Learning Management System.

I appreciate the work being done, but I notice less media coverage of behavioral health reform lately. While housing, education, and gun violence are important discussions, we must not forget about behavioral health. It plays a significant role in overall health care and deserves attention.

Many people still struggle with issues like depression and addiction every day. These struggles affect their happiness and health. Economically, mental health conditions can cost millions in lost productivity. In Canada, the cost reached over $50 billion annually in 2017 due to mental health issues.

Colorado is facing tough budget times, but we must keep pushing for behavioral health reform. Many recommendations in the blueprint require little to no funding yet can bring meaningful improvements. Our lawmakers can look to this blueprint for ideas as they make decisions about behavioral health policies.

Hope is vital. It means believing that something good can happen. For the many people across Colorado who have shared their stories, and for those still in need, we cannot afford to lose hope. We must continue investing in behavioral health reform, no matter how small the steps.

Summer Gathercole, of Conifer, is the managing director of SHG Advisors and is the former deputy commissioner of the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration.

Source link

behavioral health,Behavioral Health Administration,Colorado,Colorado Behavioral Health Council,Colorado General Assembly