More than a year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are starting to feel the first glimmers of hope that a return to “normal” is on the horizon. As we navigate this latest shift, there is still an overwhelming need to support employees’ mental health. To help, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) at Work / National Council for Mental Wellbeing created a new toolkit for employers’ use this Mental Health Awareness Month and beyond.

Please feel free to print these materials and share them with patients and staff. Contact Vincent Plymell (DOI) at Vincent.Plymell@state.co.us with any questions about these brochures.  

It is a dynamic time for telehealth advancement in our state and nation. The Office of eHealth Innovation and Prime Health launched Regional Telehealth Learning Collaboratives to collect insights that will create a set of strategies and recommendations for statewide telehealth infrastructure. The office needs input from health care leaders around Colorado. Please consider taking this 20-minute survey to share information about telehealth in your practice as well as your own experiences with telehealth.

Contact the Program Manager, Katrina Chaffin, katrina@primeheathco.com for questions regarding the survey. 

As of April 1, the State's new Behavioral Health Capacity Registry is live. Section 27-60-104.5, C.R.S. outlines the creation of a statewide, online registry for behavioral health capacity. This online tool tracks availability for mental health and substance use disorder treatment beds, and whether licensed Opioid Treatment Programs are accepting new clients. Programs are now able to access the system and begin updating their information. The next three months will be used as an implementation period to give providers and OBH time to refine internal processes and clarify outstanding questions. OBH will hold the next online forum on June 2 in order to help program administrators and individuals who track and update capacity information at their facility understand registry requirements. Visit the Capacity Registry website for more information, forum details, training resources and more.

Beginning May 17, 2021 requests for authorization for 3.2WM levels of care will be submitted and approved through ProviderConnect. ProviderConnect is Beacon Health Options provider portal which makes routine tasks such as processing claims, obtaining claims information, and verifying status easy and convenient. You can access ProviderConnect from the Health Colorado website or Beacon Health Options website.

Each year Health Colorado, Inc. (HCI) is required by the State of Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG) to conduct an annual chart audit to ensure accuracy of submitted claims and encounters. Audit procedures require a random sample of client medical records to be reviewed from Community Mental Health Centers and independent providers who were PAID the previous fiscal year.

In preparation for next year’s audit, this notice is to advise you there are updated 411 Training materials on the Health Colorado website.

411 Powerpoint presentation and 411 Full Tip Sheet can be accessed here: Health Colorado Provider Trainings

Do you plan to continue to provide telehealth services when the Public Health Emergency ends? If you answered YES to these questions and you would prefer our provider directory to show members that you provide telehealth services, please complete the Beacon Telehealth Provider Attestation. Email the completed form to CoProviderRelations@beaconhealthoptions.com.

If you are accepting new referrals, please take a moment to make sure your contact information is updated in CAQH and Provider Connect. If you are NOT accepting new clients at this time, please be sure to update this status in Provider Connect or by sending an email to coproviderrelations@beaconhealthoptions.com.

It is important that all health care providers know that Health First Colorado members cannot be billed for services covered by Health First Colorado. Please visit this policy statement for more detailed information.

For more information, call 833-511-0311 or visit GetEmergencyBroadband.org/how-to-apply.

OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF PLAYBOOK

The Office of Early Childhood is thrilled to share the highly anticipated PLAYbook with you!

The PLAYbook contains information and activities that anyone caring for young children – including parents, siblings, guardians, grandparents, babysitters, neighbors, and family friends - can use to prepare children to be successful when entering kindergarten. The PLAYbook contains activities and information that are designed to get caregivers thinking about building the child’s skills in the locations where they spend time together, using what they may already have around their home through play.

Here you will find a digital version of the PLAYbook in English and Spanish to review and share. The PDF file is interactive, allowing users to take notes or use the checklists and interactive tools digitally! The PLAYbook can also be downloaded and printed.

A communication toolkit has been developed to help you spread the word on The PLAYbook with those who care for young children. Thank you for your commitment and partnership in ensuring Colorado’s children are valued, healthy and thriving!

For more information, contact amanda.culbertson@state.co.us.

The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) is currently accepting member interest forms for the OEC Family Voice Council! Please share the interest form and the flyers (in English and Spanish) with parents and caregivers in your network.

For more information, contact amanda.culbertson@state.co.us.

To better understand the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on harm reduction, the National Council for Behavioral Health, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pleased to announce the “COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Harm Reduction Services: An Environmental Scan,” a new report comprised of a literature review and 21 key informant interviews with staff from harm reduction organizations across the U.S.

For vaccine information from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, visit this webpage.

RAE ROUNDTABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH---2nd Fri of every month at 11am

Please click here to join the webinar:

Visit the HCI website for details on previous calls.

SUD EXPANDED BENEFIT PROVIDER FORUM--3rd Tues of every month at 10am

Please click here to join the webinar:

Visit the HCI website for details on previous calls.

Beacon Health Options' Quality Team is hosting a Zoom training on Mental Health and SUD documentation. Please view the link below and share with appropriate staff.

This presentation will focus on the last 2 developmental stages (belonging & purpose) experienced in emerging adulthood and how those impact the success of long term recovery for this population.

Hear from rural health experts who will explore structural urbanism, rural social determinants of health and strategies to improve integrated rural health care.

Personality disorders are common and pervasive mental health conditions across many clinical settings. However, the basic facts about personality disorders, including their development, etiology, and varied symptom presentation, are often not highlighted.

Hear from a rural health provider who will share an overview of the mental health and recovery services workforce shortage in rural communities, strategies for increasing the rural mental health and recovery services workforce and for supporting wellness and training needs of rural health staff, and also success stories of rural health workforce opportunities.