Legislative

What’s at stake in the fight for Medicaid, substance use treatment

June 13, 2025

By Frank Cornelia | June 12, 2025 When I was three, my mom packed me and my little brother into the car and drove us to a restaurant about an hour from where we lived. We were going to meet my dad, who recently entered treatment at Project Turnabout, then a fledgling addiction recovery center…

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Investing in a system that fills gaps across the state

November 29, 2023

By Kara Johnson-Hufford, CBHC CEO There is no doubt that Colorado invests significant state dollars in community mental health centers and clinics across Colorado with about $500 million flowing to the 17 centers that blanket the state. It’s important to understand what Colorado’s return on that investment is in lives saved, quality of life improved…

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AG Community Highlighted as Colorado Mental Health Expert Testifies in Congress

April 27, 2022

Rural Stress is a term coined for those working in the agriculture industry, facing a unique set of stress factors others may not even consider. Increased fertilizer costs, drought, vulnerability of commodity prices, and the looming fear of failing to keep a family’s multi-generational legacy alive are just a few of those stressors. While counseling…

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CBHC’s Letter to the Governor

December 10, 2021

CBHC and our member organizations are dedicated to ensuring that the people of Colorado receive the services they need and that those services are delivered in the most efficient, accountable, and transparent manner possible. Recent news coverage raised serious questions about the current state of the behavioral health system, and we are committed to working…

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CBHC 2020 Legislative Priorities

January 27, 2020

The message is clear: Colorado is ready for a change when it comes to the way we regulate, finance, and deliver behavioral health care. In his charge letter to create the Behavioral Health Task Force, Governor Polis wrote: “We can and must do better to transform our system for Coloradans with a behavioral health condition…

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National Council Releases New Resources on Healthcare Reform Implementation

April 23, 2010

The National COuncil for Community Behavioral Healthcare provides various resources to help you understand the impacts of healthcare reform.  The link below will take you to information that includes: Summary of the Health Reform Law Implementation Timeline Issue Brief on the New Temporary High-Risk Pool for Individuals Without Insurance Click here to access these new…

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New CBHC Legislative Update and Bill Tracking Slate Available

March 24, 2010

The latest CBHC Legislative Update and Bill Tracking Slate are now available online.  Click here to read up on the latest status of important pieces of legislation impacting Colorado's community mental health system. 

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Guidance Released on Implementation of Mental Health and Addictions Parity

January 29, 2010

“Today, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor released an interim final rule (IFR) providing guidance on how the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act must be implemented.” -NCCBH  The National Council  for Community Behavioral Health has issued a summary of the interim final rule that can…

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Representatives Engel and Matsui Introduce Amendment for Federal Designation

July 23, 2009

 "A definition for “Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers (FQBHCs)” was included in proposed federal legislation for the first time yesterday. The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, which has championed the creation of FQBHCs, commends Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) for introducing the definition in an amendment passed by the House…

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Parity Included in SCHIP Law signed by President Obama

February 6, 2009

"The House passed legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) on Wednesday mainly along party lines.  SCHIP or HR 2 was passed by the Senate last week and was signed into law by President Obama on February 4."  The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare’s February 5th Public Policy Update includes information…

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