February 2026

Love in Action: Carrying the Spirit of

Valentine’s Day Forward

CBHC Call for Proposals

The Annual CBHC Behavioral Health Conference brings together behavioral health professionals, policymakers, partners, and students to explore timely challenges and practical solutions across mental health, substance use, equity, crisis care, system transformation, and emerging community needs.

We invite leaders, clinicians, advocates, and individuals with lived experience to submit breakout session and workshop proposals that reflect innovation, collaboration, and actionable learning.

Help shape a dynamic program that supports Colorado’s behavioral health workforce. Submit your proposal today on the CBHC conference page.

Budgetary Headwinds & Legislative Action

We are one quarter through the legislative session, and behavioral health policy is moving alongside a challenging state budget environment. Fiscal constraints are shaping many of the proposals under consideration — particularly those affecting Medicaid and the behavioral health safety net. In this environment, even a modest fiscal note can determine whether a bill advances.

State Budget Landscape

Colorado is facing an estimated $850 million shortfall for FY 2026–27. The proposed $400 million Pinnacol conversion remains a major variable in closing that gap. Absent that revenue, budget writers may be forced to consider difficult alternatives, including deeper Medicaid reductions, adjustments to K–12 funding mechanisms, reductions in state employee compensation, and shrinking the General Fund reserve.

Medicaid remains one of the fastest-growing areas of the state budget. Even modest growth rates translate into significant General Fund impacts, placing pressure on other priorities such as public safety, human services, and education. While health care — and specifically Medicaid — carries significant budget weight, balancing the budget this year will likely require touching safety net services. If federal proposals such as HR1 are implemented as currently structured, even more difficult decisions could be on the horizon in future fiscal years.

The recent Medicaid forecast update has worsened since October. The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) now projects:

• $70 million in additional General Fund spending in FY 2025–26

• $138 million in additional General Fund spending in FY 2026–27

This represents a total $786 million year-over-year General Fund increase (14.8%) for FY 2026–27 and creates a new $138 million gap beyond what was anticipated in the October forecast — pushing the overall shortfall close to $1 billion.

Much of the growth is driven by increased per capita utilization — particularly in long-term services and supports (LTSS) and pharmacy costs — rather than enrollment growth alone.

As a result, the Governor has proposed holding Medicaid growth to 5.6%, which would require substantial cost containment. If targeted reductions are insufficient to achieve the 5.6 percent growth target, the administration has indicated it would implement a 3.9 percent across-the-board provider rate reduction — substantially more than the previously proposed 0.75 percent reduction.

For community-based behavioral health providers, this creates significant uncertainty in planning, workforce stabilization, and service expansion efforts.

This forecast places the six members of the Joint Budget Committee in a difficult position as they move into figure-setting. The decisions made in the coming weeks will have direct implications for the behavioral health system.

What This Means for the Safety Net

Continued rapid Medicaid growth risks crowding out funding for other critical services — but reductions to safety net health care also carry significant consequences. Behavioral health providers operate on thin margins while serving individuals with the most complex needs. Rate reductions or programmatic constraints could affect access to outpatient services, crisis response capacity, and workforce recruitment and retention.

It is also important to recognize that the behavioral health safety net ultimately saves the state money by diverting individuals from higher-cost systems such as emergency departments, jails, and state hospitals.

Balancing fiscal responsibility with preserving access to essential services continues to be one of the central tensions of this session.

We will continue engaging with the Joint Budget Committee and administration to ensure cost containment strategies do not undermine access to critical community-based services.

Legislative Activity

Despite a constrained fiscal environment, lawmakers continue to advance a range of behavioral health proposals this session. Many of the bills below aim to expand access, modernize standards, and strengthen crisis response — but in a year where the budget is driving decision-making, cost and implementation feasibility will heavily influence which proposals ultimately move forward. Here are a few of the bills we’re tracking:

HB26-1002 — Provider Participation in Health Insurance
This bill addresses one of the most persistent barriers facing community behavioral health providers: network access and reimbursement. It would require commercial insurers to verify network participation when providers have not billed for a period of time, expedite credentialing for behavioral health providers, and allow pre-licensed clinicians to join networks and be reimbursed when working under supervision. It modifies clinical hour requirements for LCSW licensure. For safety net providers, these changes could improve network accuracy, reduce administrative delays, and strengthen the workforce pipeline at a time of critical staffing shortages.

HB26-1069 — Availability of Emergency Medical Services
This bill expands what qualifies as emergency services, including alternative-destination transport and telemedicine support during EMS encounters to avoid unnecessary emergency department utilization. It explicitly includes mental health professionals responding in emergencies within the definition of “first responder” and establishes Medicaid reimbursement for treat-in-place and alternative transport models beginning in 2027. For community providers operating crisis services or co-responder models, this creates clearer reimbursement pathways and supports diversion from higher-cost systems like emergency departments.

HB26-1139 — Use of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care
This bill establishes guardrails on how AI may be used in utilization review and requires licensed clinician review of medical necessity denials. For Medicaid-serving behavioral health providers, this is particularly important as AI-driven utilization management expands. The bill also clarifies that AI systems cannot be marketed as psychotherapy or replace licensed care, helping protect the integrity of clinical practice while still allowing appropriate, clinician-supervised use of assistive technologies.

HB26-1195 — Psychotherapy Artificial Intelligence Restrictions
This proposal places restrictions on how regulated professionals may use AI in psychotherapy settings and establishes consumer protection standards related to how AI tools are marketed. While the intent is to prevent AI from replacing licensed care, implementation details will matter for community providers who use technology for documentation, supervision, or supplementary support. We are engaged to ensure guardrails are clear without unintentionally constraining clinician-supervised, assistive tools that improve efficiency and access.

You can find a full list of bills we are monitoring here.

BHA Proposed Provider Rules:

Implementation & Provider Feedback

The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) continues to move forward with proposed revisions to the Provider Rules (2 CCR 502-1), representing one of the most significant regulatory updates to the behavioral health system in recent years. The proposed changes align Colorado’s framework with the ASAM 4th Edition Criteria with the goal of shifting toward a more integrated, person-centered continuum of care.

The revisions reorganize foundational provider requirements, update levels of care standards, and consolidate crisis and safety net provisions to improve consistency across the system. While the modernization effort reflects national best practices, it will require careful implementation to ensure clarity around licensing, staffing, documentation, and compliance expectations

The formal public comment period remains open through March 31, 2026, with full implementation anticipated by July 1, 2027.

In a year already defined by fiscal uncertainty, ensuring that regulatory modernization does not unintentionally create barriers to access or destabilize providers is critical.

CBHC is actively coordinating provider feedback and engaging with BHA to ensure the final rules support high-quality, evidence-based care while remaining workable for community-based organizations. We encourage providers to continue reviewing draft language on the BHA Laws & Rules webpage and to flag operational or clinical concerns.

We will continue sharing updates as the rulemaking process advances.

CCBHC Demonstration:

Preparing for the Next Phase

Colorado continues preparing for the next phase of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Demonstration. The current planning grant has been approved for a six-month extension through the end of June, allowing the state to fully utilize remaining resources and continue readiness planning. The federal application window is now open, and Colorado is preparing its submission, which is due in early April.

If awarded, the state anticipates adding four new CCBHCs each year of the demonstration period, expanding access to comprehensive behavioral health services across Colorado.

Steering Committee meetings will continue through April as application development progresses. Once applications are active, the state will transition from the current steering structure to a formal governance model to oversee demonstration implementation. Subcommittees are expected to move to an ad hoc structure moving forward.

In response to federal requirements, the state will also establish new Member Engagement Advisory Committees (MEACs). These advisory groups — anticipated to include four distinct stakeholder groups — are intended to strengthen beneficiary input and ensure meaningful member engagement throughout the demonstration.

For community-based providers, the coming months will be critical. As governance structures take shape and the application advances, clarity around certification expectations, payment methodology, and accountability standards will be essential to ensure the demonstration is accessible and workable for a diverse range of eligible organizations.

CBHC will continue engaging in Steering Committee discussions and will share updates as the state’s application progresses. We encourage providers and stakeholders to stay engaged in this process. You can register for upcoming Steering Committee meetings here. 

Colorado Health Access Survey Highlights Impact of Loneliness

The latest Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) offers new insight into how loneliness intersects with health in our state. According to the 2025 CHAS, about 21.7% of Coloradans — roughly 1.2 million people — report experiencing loneliness.¹ Those who reported loneliness were four times more likely to report poor mental health and more than twice as likely to say their overall health was poor or only fair compared to those who did not report loneliness.¹

Loneliness is not simply a social issue — it is increasingly recognized as a critical health risk factor. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that social connection is linked to better physical and mental health, while loneliness and social isolation are associated with higher risk for anxiety, depression, and other adverse outcomes.² Similarly, the World Health Organization acknowledges that loneliness and social isolation have serious implications for overall health and well-being worldwide.³

For community-based behavioral health providers, these findings resonate with what many are seeing in practice: sustained social disconnection translates to greater demand for behavioral health services. Individuals experiencing loneliness are more likely to require support for mental health concerns and may present with more complex needs when they enter care.

Loneliness also affects the broader health system. National research indicates that social isolation and loneliness are linked to increased risk of chronic disease and higher rates of hospital utilization.⁴ For Medicaid-serving populations, who already face barriers to access, the cumulative effects of isolation can further strain emergency services and crisis systems.

Community behavioral health providers are uniquely positioned to address not only clinical symptoms, but also social drivers of poor health. Through peer support, group programming, care coordination, and community connection efforts, safety net organizations act as front-line partners in mitigating the health consequences of loneliness.

As Colorado navigates difficult budget and policy decisions this session, the CHAS findings highlight a key message: investing in community-based behavioral health and social connection strategies is not only compassionate — it is foundational to sustained health and cost-effective care.

Sources: Colorado Health Access Survey (Colorado Health Institute, 2025)¹; CDC, Social Connection²; WHO, Social Isolation and Loneliness³; CDC, Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness⁴.

A-Train Marketing is proud to partner with the CBHC to promote mental health in Colorado and beyond. We serve as deep marketing partners for behavioral health entities and currently support clients in 29 states. Our team understands that marketing in this space requires a unique blend of ethics, sensitivity, and strategic precision to connect individuals with the care they need.

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We focus on delivering results through brand development, high-conversion websites, SEO, and digital advertising. Rather than providing one-size-fits-all solutions, we immerse ourselves in your unique mission, and unique challenges, to create strategies that directly solve organizational challenges. We help bridge the gap between individuals seeking help and the invaluable resources your organization provides.

Whether you are scaling a multi-location system or launching a new service line or brand, we act as an extension of your team to ensure your messaging is both compliant and compelling.

Free Strategic Review

Connect with our team to see how we can help. A-Train’s CEO Timothy Zercher is currently offering a free, no-commitment, strategic review to help you optimize your marketing efforts and increase your impact.

Mental Health First Aid Colorado

MHFACO Grant Funding for MHFA Certification Classes

MHFACO will be offering targeted, cost-covered community Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification classes from April through May 2026. These classes are not population-specific and are open to the broader community. MHFACO will be supporting the trainings and providing grant funding to MHFA programs to support hosting monthly trainings as part of the “Spring into MHFA Knowledge” initiative.

March 25–27, 2026: Virtual Youth MHFA Instructor Training

MHFACO will host a Virtual Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor Training from March 25–27, 2026. Applications to participate are open from January 29 through February 29, 2026. Please apply HERE.

Aurora Mental Health & Recovery

Aurora Mental Health and Recovery has opened its new Potomac Pavilion, a $43 million mental health and substance use care facility designed to expand access to community services. The facility features a range of programs, including Connect to Care, a walk-in screening program that helps individuals get matched with the right therapist and care plan, as well as a 24/7 Crisis Walk-In Clinic. It also includes a Crisis Stabilization Unit and Withdrawal Management services, offering up to five-day stays for individuals in need. With these expanded programs, Aurora Mental Health estimates a 40 % increase in care capacity compared to its previous building. Read the full article here.

Solvista Health

At a recent Chaffee County Board of Commissioners work session, local leaders reviewed updates on mental health services, economic development, and climate initiatives. Representatives from Solvista Health highlighted improvements in care access, including reduced wait times and expanded transitions-of-care services, while noting ongoing funding challenges. The Chaffee Economic Development Corporation shared strategies to support business growth, workforce housing, and talent development, and county staff provided an overview of climate policy efforts through Colorado Communities for Climate Action, emphasizing collaboration across rural counties. Read the full article here.

Mile High Behavioral Healthcare

Frisco, Colorado is hosting its annual Spontaneous Combustion Bonfire and Fireworks event on Saturday, February 7, featuring a massive bonfire fueled by about 300 gently used Christmas trees, music from a DJ, and an 8 p.m. fireworks show in the Marina lot at Summit Boulevard and Marina Road. The free community event — with snacks and drinks available for purchase to benefit Mile High Behavioral Healthcare — invites tree donations (stripped of decorations) through the afternoon of the event. Attendees are encouraged to walk or use public transit, with nearby street parking available. Read the full article here.

Aurora Mental health and Recovery

Aurora’s new Regional Navigation Campus for people experiencing homelessness has faced operational challenges, including plumbing issues, staffing shortages, and delays in promised amenities. Residents have reported concerns about safety, health, and unclear policies, while city officials and the operator, Advance Pathways, work to address these issues and improve case management and oversight. Read the full article here.