2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 27 - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (§§ 27-1-101 — 27-94-107) › BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (§§ 27-50-101 — 27-64.5-102) › Article 60 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 27-60-100.3 — 27-60-506) › Part 2 - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (§§ 27-60-201 — 27-60-206) › Section 27-60-204 - Care coordination infrastructure - implementation - care navigation program - creation - report - rules - definition

(1)
Care coordination infrastructure.
(a)
No later than July 1, 2024, the BHA, in collaboration with the department of health care policy and financing, shall develop a statewide care coordination infrastructure to drive accountability and more effective behavioral health navigation to care that builds upon and collaborates with existing care coordination services. The infrastructure must include:
(I)
A website and mobile application that serves as a centralized gateway for information for patients, providers, and care coordination and that facilities access and navigation of behavioral health-care services and support; and
(II)
A cloud-based platform to allow providers that do not utilize an electronic health record to actively participate in the care coordination infrastructure.
(b)
The BHA shall convene a working group of geographically and demographically diverse partners and stakeholders, including those with lived and professional experience, to provide feedback and recommendations that inform and guide the development of the statewide care coordination infrastructure developed pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section.
(c)
The department of health care policy and financing, the division of insurance in the department of regulatory agencies, and the working group created pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of this section shall determine how medicaid and private insurance existing care coordination services are aligned with the statewide care coordination infrastructure described in subsection (1)(a) of this section.
(d)
The BHA shall implement, directly or through a contractor, a comprehensive and robust marketing and outreach plan to make Coloradans aware of the website, mobile application, cloud-based platform, and associated care coordination services developed pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section.
(2)
The BHA shall ensure navigators are available through the website and mobile application developed pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section, as well as in specific regional locations. The statewide care coordination infrastructure is responsible for providing regional access to care coordination services.
(3)
The BHA shall utilize behavioral health administrative services organizations established pursuant to part 4 of article
50
of this title 27 to help individuals and families initiate care and ensure timely access to person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive quality crisis supports; mental health and substance use disorder services; and preventive care services, including services that address the social determinants of health. When possible, the care coordination infrastructure must integrate with other health-care system resources to serve individuals with complex needs.
(4)
In implementing the care coordination infrastructure developed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the BHA shall:
(a)
Train new and existing navigators on the behavioral health safety net system services for children, youth, and adults, behavioral health service delivery procedures, and social determinants of health resources. At a minimum, the BHA shall train existing managed care entity providers, employees of the 988 crisis hotline enterprise created in section
27-64-103
,
911
dispatchers, BHA care coordinators and navigators, and other providers participating in other safety net provider settings;
(b)
Ensure that the care coordination infrastructure can direct individuals where to seek in-person or virtual navigation support;
(c)
Ensure that the administrative burden associated with provider enrollment and credentialing for navigators and care coordination providers is minimal;
(d)
As part of the annual report submitted pursuant to section
27-50-204
, include a summary of outcomes for individuals who access the statewide care coordination infrastructure; and
(e)
Ensure the 988 crisis hotline established pursuant to article
64
of this title 27:
(I)
Responds to anyone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis;
(II)
Documents referrals and transfers of care of persons with one or more community-based service providers, such as care coordination and care navigation services; and
(III)
Includes connections to:
(A)
The forthcoming Colorado behavioral health resource navigation system, which more quickly links individuals in crisis with available services;
(B)
The statewide and regional care coordination system;
(C)
Peer support services; and
(D)
The behavioral health crisis response system created pursuant to section
27-60-103
.
(5)
Each behavioral health administrative services organization established pursuant to part 4 of article
50
of this title 27 shall:
(a)
Utilize navigators trained in the use of the care coordination infrastructure pursuant to subsection (4)(a) of this section to identify community-based and social determinants of health services and capacity, including on-the-ground local support to encourage participation and engagement in services;
(b)
Utilize navigators and coordinators to support individuals in connecting to the safety net system created pursuant to part 3 of article
50
of this title 27, including services not covered by an individual's insurance;
(c)
Monitor and report quarterly on the safety net system and safety net providers to support accountability in connecting individuals to services and the delivery of those services to individuals with the highest needs;
(d)
Support continued connection with the safety net system after an individual is discharged from hospitalization, the criminal justice system, an emergency department, or other behavioral health facilities, including withdrawal management facilities and jails, by building multi-sector, multi-system referral and outcome tracking into the care coordination system;
(e)
Require contracted providers to use the statewide care coordination system, report on outcomes, including how and when individuals accessed care, and work collaboratively with the care coordination entity to ensure individuals receive needed services in a timely manner; and
(f)
Any other duties required by law or the BHA.
(6)
Beginning January 2025, and each January thereafter, the department of health care policy and financing shall assess the care coordination services provided by managed care entities and provide a report as part of its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" hearing required by section
2-7-203
. At a minimum, the report must include:
(a)
The number of individuals served by each managed care entity through care coordination;
(b)
Data on care coordination services provided by each managed care entity, including follow-up contacts to ensure clients were connected to services;
(c)
Data on efforts made to reconnect with individuals who did not initially follow through on care coordination services;
(d)
Data on referrals to community-based services and follow-up services by each managed care entity for individuals served through care coordination services; and
(e)
Data on the utilization of care navigation services pursuant to subsection (9) of this section in accordance with state and federal health-care privacy laws.
(7)
The BHA and any person that receives money from the state department shall comply with the compliance, reporting, record-keeping, and program evaluation requirements established by the office of state planning and budgeting and the state controller in accordance with section
24-75-226 (5)
.
(8)
Repealed.
(9)
Care navigation program.
(a)
As used in this section, "engaged client" means an individual who is interested in and willing to engage in substance use disorder treatment and recovery services or other treatment services either for the individual or an affected family member or friend.
(b)
Subject to available appropriations, the BHA shall implement a care navigation program to assist engaged clients in obtaining access to treatment for substance use disorders. At a minimum, services available statewide must include independent screening of the treatment needs of the engaged client using nationally recognized screening criteria to determine the correct level of care; the identification of licensed or accredited substance use disorder treatment options, including social and medical detoxification services, medication-assisted treatment, and inpatient and outpatient treatment programs; and the availability of various treatment options for the engaged client.
(c)
To implement the care navigation program, the BHA shall, directly or through contract, provide care navigation services and align the care navigation services with the care coordination infrastructure established pursuant to this section.
(d)
The state board may promulgate any rules necessary to implement the care navigation program.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 206,§ 34, eff. 5/16/2023.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 222, § 103, eff. 7/1/2022.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 223, § 2, eff. 5/25/2022.
Added by 2021 Ch. 362, § 19, eff. 6/28/2021.
L. 2021: Entire section added, (SB 21-137), ch. 2374, p. 2374, § 19, effective June 28.
Section 38 of chapter 362 (SB 21-137), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that section 19 of the act adding this section takes effect only if SB 21-288 becomes law and takes effect either upon the effective date of SB 21-137 or one day after the passage of SB 21-288, whichever is later. SB 21-288 became law and took effect June 11, 2021, and SB 21-137 took effect June 28, 2021.
For the short title ("Behavioral Health Recovery Act of 2021") and the legislative declaration in SB 21-137, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 362, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.