Colorado’s innovative new agency is building a responsive support system
As Colorado’s interim behavioral health commissioner for the past 10 months, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the resilience of our communities and the positive strides made toward enhancing mental health and substance-use services.
Yet, it is crucial to emphasize the need for continued support to ensure a robust foundation for the future.
Since the Behavioral Health Administration’s inception 18 months ago, we have navigated challenges and exciting opportunities, and I’m heartened by the commitment demonstrated by communities across Colorado. I soon will be passing the baton to our incoming commissioner, Dannette R. Smith, who brings deep experience and the opportunity to continue to improve mental health and substance-use services in our great state.
Our focus and progress on systemic changes created with Colorado’s people and providers signals an important shift toward a more responsive and inclusive behavioral health support system.
We have taken significant steps in empowering local initiatives and tailoring solutions to the unique needs of our diverse populations. Several examples:
We updated regulations to improve the quality and oversight of mental health and substance use services so Coloradans get improved care. We expanded the successful I Matter program, which provides free therapy sessions to youths in Colorado each year. And this year we allocated $150 million in grants to local communities across Colorado, funding the workforce, children and youth services, and trauma-informed culturally responsive services.
All of these changes have improved the quality of care across the state, and we are committed to adapting and innovating in response to the evolving landscape of mental health and substance-use-disorder care.
We celebrate these accomplishments and acknowledge that lasting systemic change takes time, and we must raise awareness of this fact. We are focused on building a foundation for further system improvements, addressing issues of access, stigma reduction and integrating mental health into the broader health care system.
The creation of the Behavioral Health Administration is something no other state has done. I appreciate Gov. Jared Polis’ bold vision for addressing the behavioral health crisis in our state.
To the advocates, providers, people with lived experience and the public, your engagement and advocacy have played a crucial role in driving positive change. We will continue to seek out your voices, because your continued support is essential. Let us continue to build an environment where mental health and substance-use services are prioritized, destigmatized and accessible to all.
The dedication and bold willingness to try something new through legislation and in partnership with the legislature is something we will never take for granted. I urge continued vital support of the Behavioral Health Administration, consideration of the larger systemic picture, a critical eye to new and existing fractures in the system, and call all Coloradans to remember the original purpose this agency was to be the statewide behavioral health authority.
The progress achieved is a testament to what is possible with a commitment to prioritizing systemic change, as uncomfortable and time-consuming as that may be.
As my tenure as interim commissioner comes to an end, I express gratitude for the collective efforts made thus far. Our persistence and drive grow, and it is my sincere hope that the positive momentum we’ve built will be sustained. Together we can create a future where the well-being of every individual is upheld as a fundamental right.