Following the passage of HB 1097, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) is in the preliminary stages of developing its ambitious Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). Robert Werthwein, the director of the department’s Office of Behavioral Health (OBH), says a considerable amount of stakeholder engagement remains before CDHS finalizes an official implementation plan.
“It’s going to be a phased approach it’s not going to happen overnight. And we do expect that we’re going to have to continue to work at this and we can’t be content with just a concept.”
The department is collaborating with consulting firm Health Management Associates (HMA) to develop a plan of action. It is currently in the “change management process,” during which HMA gathers input from state personnel and other stakeholders. HMA is using this input conducted through focus groups and open forums to draft potential models of what the new administration would look like.