HB22-1278 through state Senate
Among three behavioral health bills Rep. Pelton sponsored which have passed both chambers
A priority bill for Rep. Rod Pelton, R-Cheyenne Wells, and with bi-partisan sponsorship in both chambers of the Colorado legislature, has passed the Senate.
House Bill 22-1278 would create a behavioral health administration with a “coordinated, cohesive, and effective behavioral health system” for Colorado, the bill reads. It would support services for those with mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders. Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, Sen. Pete Lee, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, joined Pelton as sponsors of the bill.
It was supported by a 34-0 vote of the Senate, including support from Eastern Colorado Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling. The bill was supported 4614 in the House.
Pelton, the minority whip in the House and member of the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee, had supported a behavioral health bill since he began serving in 2019. He had long viewed behavioral health as an issue for both urban and rural areas of the state. Pelton and Simpson are both rural ranchers.
The bill would require the establishment of universal standards for accessibility and quality of care, a behavioral health performance monitoring system, a comprehensive behavioral health safety net system, regionallybased behavioral health administrative service organizations to ensure every region in Colorado has accessible and high quality services and establishment of a statewide behavioral health grievance system. It will move to the House for final agreement before being sent to Gov. Jared Polis. Should it be signed into law, the bill would require all ele
ments of the bill to be put into place by July 2024.
“Coloradans deserve easy access to the behavioral health care they need to maintain their health and well-being, but far too many folks are left with limited or no options for help,” Lee said in a statement from Senate Democrats. “Accessing our behavioral health system can be complex and difficult, which is why we’re pushing for the creation of a Behavioral Health Administration to help streamline services for people with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. With this bill, we will be able to ensure accessible, equitable and high quality care for all.”
Pelton and Young also sponsored House Bill 221214, related to changes to the behavioral health crisis response system requiring minimum standards of service, which has advanced to the governor. Pelton and Sonnenberg were among sponsors for HB 22- 1369, legislation directing the department of early childhood to contract with a Colorado- based nonprofit entity to provide children’s mental health programs, which passed the Senate by a 34- 1 vote and was additionally supported by the House, 52- 11.