The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration would see a $44.6 million increase in its funding for 2016 under the budget proposal released this week by President Obama. The $4 trillion budget also lifts spending caps imposed in 2011 and restores more than $70 billion in sequestration cuts while achieving $399 billion in health…

Yesterday the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced intent to engage in rulemaking to update the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs beginning in 2015. These intended changes would help to reduce the reporting burden on providers, while supporting the long term goals of the program. Since the first year…

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing is excited to announce the 2015 launch of the ACC Chronic Pain Disease Management Program modeled after Project ECHO programs.  The program has been designed to improve primary care providers access to pain management specialists and to best practice treatment guidelines. Medicaid accepting primary care providers…

We have another “win” in our efforts to outreach to media representatives. Thanks to Jennifer Forker and Lindy Schultz in particular at Community Reach Center, Jen and Janine D’Anniballe (from our very own Mental Health Partners in Boulder) will be doing an educational session at the Colorado Press Association’s annual conference. The session will offer…

DENVER — Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014 —  Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced Colorado has been awarded $65 million in State Innovation Model (SIM) funding to create a coordinated, accountable system of care that gives Coloradans access to integrated primary care and behavioral health. Colorado will use the funding over the next four years to further…

Colorado Medicaid Program Achieves Record Savings, Improved Outcomes Data includes early Medicaid expansion population   DENVER – November 3, 2014 – The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (Department) announced today that the Department achieved about $100 million in gross savings on medical services with its Accountable Care Collaborative (ACC) program. This is more…

For his legislative support of the behavioral health community, State Senator Larry Crowder received the 2014 Community Behavioral Health Champion award in Alamosa on Monday. San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group CEO Fernando Martinez and Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council Associate Director of Policy and Government Affairs Frank Cornelia presented the award to the senator in…

CBHC submitted the following comments to the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) as feedback to the FY15 Strategic Plan Colorado’s behavioral health system is successfully working in communities across the state with mental health and substance use disorder services tailored to individual communities’ needs. We encourage CDHS to support this existing infrastructure that’s making and…

Listen to the 2014 Conference TED Talks! If you missed them at the conference or what to hear them again; re-visit the 6 talks presented by the 2014 Golden Lightbulb and Golden Abacus award nominees.   Golden Abacus TED Talks: Your browser does not support the audio element. or Download the Talk (46Mb) Golden Lightbulb…

Background In August, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act. Among other elements, this new law requires the VA to establish procedures for veterans to get care outside the VA system under certain circumstances. This law was a reaction to the news that several VA facilities across…