Health Equity Strategic Plan | Behavioral Health Administration
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Priority:
Health Care Access and Quality &
Social and Community Context
Problem statement
In Colorado, approximately one million residents are in need of behavioral health services. The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) estimates that over 100,000 individuals may require mental health care, while more than 40,000 may need treatment for substance use disorders. Yet access to high-quality, culturally responsive care remains out of reach for many. Inconsistent service quality, lack of cultural competence, limited access, affordability challenges, and a fragmented, confusing system all contribute to widening health differences — especially among the most vulnerable populations.
As part of Colorado’s commitment to transforming its behavioral health system, BHA is leading strategic investments to address these challenges. This includes the creation of Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs), designed to improve service coordination and ensure more accessible care across the state.
On July 1, 2025, BHA will combine substance use disorder, mental health, and crisis services into contracts with BHASOs, creating the Colorado LIFTS network. This change will help individuals and families initiate and maintain behavioral health care and ensure timely, equitable access to high-quality services.
Community engagement
BHA is committed to co-creating Colorado’s behavioral health system in partnership with providers, community members, policymakers, and local communities. To guide the development of Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) and their Colorado LIFTS network, BHA has engaged in numerous community meetings, provider convenings, listening sessions, and other outreach efforts. For example, BHA has launched statewide community conversations to support the development of BHASO Regional Advisory Councils, ensuring that local and lived experience voices continue to play a central role in designing a more responsive and inclusive behavioral health system. A key part of this work involves actively recruiting individuals with lived experience in the behavioral health system to help shape, inform, and implement BHA initiatives. The BHASOs will work with these regional advisory councils to continue to build the Colorado LIFTS network, ensuring that the services match the true needs of the communities they serve.
This ongoing commitment is already reflected in the formation of the long-standing advisory boards and councils such as the Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council (BHPAC) and the Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council (BHAAC).
Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) and Colorado LIFTS Creation and Launch
Historically, individuals seeking behavioral health care in Colorado often faced a fragmented system, requiring them to navigate multiple agencies and visit several locations to access services. Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) were created to change that by streamlining and integrating critical components of the state’s behavioral health system into one network, now called Colorado LIFTS.
BHASOs merge the functions of substance use disorder Managed Service Organizations (MSOs) and crisis services Administrative Service Organizations (ASOs), while also incorporating services provided by Community Mental Health Centers. Their mission is to deliver a seamless, coordinated continuum of safety net services, improving access and reducing barriers to care statewide.
Colorado will be divided into four BHASO regions, each tailored to reflect the unique needs of its population and geography. BHASOs are also expected to work closely with Regional Accountable Entities (RAEs), which oversee Medicaid service delivery and care coordination to ensure system-wide alignment and continuity of care.
Communities prioritized by this strategy:
- Low-income communities
- Communities of color
- LGBT+ communities
- People living with disabilities
- Housing cost-burdened communities
- Linguistically isolated communities
- Historically marginalized communities
- Cumulatively impacted communities
- Rural communities
- Tribal lands
- Mobile home communities
- Individuals with lived behavioral health experience
Areas of impact
This strategy will impact Coloradans statewide.
2024 milestones
- Host listening sessions and community conversations across the state. [Complete]
- Collect feedback from community members, providers, and individuals with lived experience. [Complete]
2025 milestones
- Launch Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) in all four regions.
2026 milestones
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of BHASO operations.
- Continue community conversations to evaluate progress and identify areas for improvement.
By December 2024:
- Conduct at least 21 listening sessions, community conversations and Commissioner engagement sessions across Colorado to gather input from individuals, providers, and local communities. [Complete]
- Document and analyze feedback to inform BHASO development. [Complete]
By December 2025:
- Successfully launch BHASOs in all four regions of Colorado.
- Ensure basic operational infrastructure and care coordination systems are in place.
- Host 16 listening sessions, community conversations and Commissioner engagement sessions across Colorado to evaluate service effectiveness and inform ongoing improvements.
By December 2026:
- Complete an assessment of BHASO and Colorado LIFTS operations, including performance, service delivery, and community impact.
- Host 13 listening sessions, community conversations and Commissioner engagement sessions across Colorado to evaluate service effectiveness and inform ongoing improvements.
- Establish a baseline for therapeutic interventions and outcomes to be used in a comprehensive impact analysis in 2027.
Establishing Inaugural Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations Regional Councils
Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) are rooted in the communities they serve, allowing them to collaborate more effectively with BHA, local providers, and community leaders to meet individuals’ whole-person needs and ensure that the Colorado LIFTS network is robust and responsive.
To ensure strong local input, each of the four BHASO regions will establish a Regional Council. These councils will include Regional Council Subcommittees, created to promote meaningful community engagement around behavioral health service needs.
The Regional Councils (RCs) will be made up of community members who bring lived experience, local knowledge, and a shared commitment to improving behavioral health outcomes in their region. Their insights will guide each BHASO in strengthening service delivery, accountability, and transparency. Key responsibilities of the Regional Councils will include:
- Advising on the services needed to establish a full continuum of care in the region.
- Identifying and addressing barriers to accessing high-quality, timely care in the region.
- Contributing to the development of a statewide care coordination infrastructure.
- Highlighting the need for specialized services for priority populations in the region.
Communities prioritized by this strategy:
- Anyone in Colorado
- Individuals with lived behavioral health experience
Areas of impact
This strategy will impact Coloradans statewide.
2024 milestones
- Hold community conversations to gather diverse perspectives on why the behavioral health system needs to differ from the Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) Regional Accountable Entities (RAEs) that manage Medicaid services. [Complete]
2025 milestones
- Establish Regional Councils and Regional Subcommittees to provide ongoing local input and guidance.
2026 milestones
- Establish a direct feedback process between Regional Councils, BHASOs, BHA, and the Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council (BHAAC).
To assist the Behavioral Health Administration Service Organizations (BHASOs) in the creation of their regional subcommittee structure to promote local community input pertaining to behavioral health service needs as required by 27-50-703(3) Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S).
By December 2024
- Conduct at least 21 listening sessions, community conversations and Commissioner engagement sessions across Colorado to gather input from individuals, providers, and local communities. [Complete]
By December 2025
- Successfully establish 4 inaugural Regional Councils with subcommittees consisting of 9 members meeting the following criteria:
- One individual with expertise in the behavioral health needs of children and youth appointed by a local or regional public health or human service agency within the subcommittee's region;
- One individual who represents a behavioral health safety net provider that operates within the region appointed by a local or regional public health or human service agency within the subcommittee's region;
- A county commissioner of a county situated within the region appointed by BHA;
- One individual with a connection to a K-12th grade school district within the subcommittee's region appointed by a local or regional public health or human service agency within the subcommittee's region;
- One individual with the criminal justice system within the subcommittee's region appointed by a local or regional public health or human service agency within the subcommittee's region;
- One individual with lived experience or a community member who is not also a behavioral health provider appointed by a local or regional public health or human service agency within the subcommittee's region;
- One individual with lived experience appointed by BHA; and
- Two individuals with lived experience not associated with a behavioral health treatment provider appointed by the behavioral health administrative service organization (BHASO).
By December 2026
- Establish a direct feedback process between Regional Councils, BHASOs, BHA, and the Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council (BHAAC).
- Each Regional Council will produce an annual Letter of Recommendation due September 1 of each year that reviews its aforementioned statutory requirements and provides recommendations to the BHASOs. BHASOs will include these Letters of Recommendation in its annual report due to BHA September 30 of each year.
- The Regional Councils will provide quarterly updates to the Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council (BHAAC) summarizing the discussions and recommendations of the Councils to identify potential areas of overlap.
- BHA will evaluate the recommendations from the Regional Councils and BHAAC to determine the best methodology to address identified service gaps.