Welcome to the Health First Colorado Behavioral Health Updates

Health First Colorado Behavioral Health Updates provides content relevant to the full spectrum of behavioral health services in Colorado. Feel free to forward this newsletter to other interested stakeholders!   

All editions will be available on the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing’s (HCPF) Behavioral Health Reform webpage.   

Share your feedback, ideas, and questions at hcpf_safetynetforum@state.co.us

Policy/Legislation Updates   

1115 Expanding the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Continuum of Care Waiver  

HCPF has submitted a request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to amend Colorado’s Expanding the Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care Section 1115 demonstration waiver (1115 SUD waiver) in order to expand coverage for health-related social needs (HRSN) services. This expansion was developed to improve coverage, access, and health equity across Medicaid beneficiaries, recognizing that health outcomes are connected to social factors like housing, economic security, health coverage, and food security. This is in addition to the amendment submitted to CMS on April 1, 2024, that requested authorization for:   

• Continuous eligibility for ages 0-3 years and adults leaving a Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) facility; 
• Prerelease services for individuals transitioning from correctional facilities; and 
• Reimbursement for acute inpatient and residential stays in Institutes for Mental Disease (IMD) for individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness (SMI) or serious emotional disturbance (SED). 

Please visit the HCPF Health Related Social Needs website on the HRSN amendment or the Expanding the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Continuum of Care Waiver website for additional resources and updates on the state’s Medicaid 1115 demonstration waiver policy across the continuum. 

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) 

Colorado House Bill 24-1384 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics required HCPF, in collaboration with the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) in the Department of Human Services, to apply to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for a CCBHC Demonstration Planning Grant. This process is well under way as the Notice of Funding Opportunity was posted by SAMHSA on July 29, 2024, with an application deadline of September 12, 2024. Learn more on the CCBHC webpage or join us at an upcoming CCBHC stakeholder engagement forum. 

Billing Updates

Psychiatric Hospitals (enrolled with HCPF as Provider Type 02) are eligible to become Essential Providers under the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) safety net rules. In conjunction with these rules HCPF published the Essential Provider Fee Schedule in the State Behavioral Health Services (SBHS) Billing Manual, Appendix D, effective July 1, 2024. This Fee Schedule is a directed payment to the RAEs, meaning they are required to reimburse Essential Providers a minimum of the published rate. Inpatient psychiatric services are reimbursed using revenue code 1001 with a published rate of $572.84.  

If providers are interested in becoming an Essential Provider, BHA offers technical support meetings to answer questions.

Benefits Updates and Spotlight

Child and Youth 

HCPF is working toward expanding and improving implementation of Intensive Behavioral Health Services that include intensive in-home and community-based mental health services, intensive care coordination, mobile crisis intervention, and stabilization services. This will support Colorado Medicaid beneficiaries under the age of 21 who have been diagnosed with a mental health or behavioral disorder and for whom these services are medically necessary. The improved services will be culturally relevant, family-centered, and child-driven so that these services are provided in the most integrated and least restrictive setting. 

HCPF is holding a series of stakeholder engagement sessions to inform this work and the subsequent implementation plan. Meeting dates, materials and helpful links are found on our webpage. This page will be updated as more information becomes available. NOTE: Virtual meetings are being planned for September. 

HPFC has been focused on the development of a standardized screening, assessment and High Fidelity Wraparound for ACC 3.0 in alignment with the G.A. et al v. Bimestefer Settlement Agreement IBHS work, HB24-1038, the statewide Children & Youth Behavioral Health Implementation Plan and SB19-195. 

Did You Know?

FAQ 

Essential Provider Reimbursement 

HCPF reimbursement for both Comprehensive and Essential Providers could not begin before July 1, 2024, in line with our federal authority for Directed Payments. These rates were published in the July 1, 2024, SBHS Billing Manual to indicate their effective date.  

Here is a posted FAQ on this issue found on the HCPF Safety Net Webpage: 

Q: As an Essential Safety Net Provider, when will I be able to begin receiving the Essential reimbursement rate? 

A: A provider will receive the Essential reimbursement rate based on the effective date of the Managed Care Entity contract. 

Other Things Happening in Behavioral Health

ASAM 4th Edition Workgroup 

HCPF and BHA are starting a withdrawal management (WM)-focused workgroup as the state begins to prepare for the transition into American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) 4th Edition standards, which has a tentative implementation date of July 2026. The workgroup will begin in September and is open to all interested providers and stakeholders.  

Please contact cdhs_bharulefeedback@state.co.us if you are interested in participating. 

Connect with Us

HCPF has moved 

HCPF has officially moved all operations to 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite. 1100, Denver, CO 80203. We are completely out of 1570 Grant Street. Please be sure to use our correct address to ensure timely arrival of your mail.   

HCPF Annual Stakeholder Webinar 

We invite you to register for our HCPF Annual Stakeholder Webinar on August 27 from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This event will review HCPF major initiatives for FY 2023-2024, priority initiatives for FY 2024-2025, and public health emergency unwind insights and opportunities going forward. We look forward to your attendance and feedback at this event. 

Registration and other materials will be posted on our website. 

Behavioral Health Provider Engagement Opportunities 

Behavioral health providers are encouraged to participate in provider forums, meetings and office hours. Below are a series of ongoing opportunities available. Many of these sessions require registration to allow for planning based on attendance and to prepare responses and presentations designed to address questions often submitted in advance.  

Forums: Designed to be a space for presentation of information and discussion:  

• IMD Forum – Monthly Last Thursday 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Join via Google Meet.  
• IPN Collaboration (Webinar) - Quarterly First Friday 1:00 – 2:00 PM. Register in advance.   
• Safety Net Provider Forum – Monthly Last Friday 10:00 – 11:00 AM. Register in advance.  
• SUD Forum – Quarterly First Wednesday 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Register in advance.   
• Peer Support Workforce Collaborative Meetings led by BHA – Quarterly First Thursday 12-1:30pm. Register in advance through the BHA’s Stakeholder Calendar.   
• Crisis Services Forum – Bi-Monthly 4th Thursday 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Register in advance.  
• Behavioral Health Hospital Engagement Forum – Quarterly Second Friday 10:00 -11:00 AM. Register in advance.    

Office Hours and Technical Assistance: Designed to be a “drop in” space for quick answers to issues best addressed by a brief discussion:  

• Crisis Provider TA – Monthly Second Tuesday 11:00 AM - noon. Register in advance.   
• SUD Provider TA - Monthly on the 1st Wednesday 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Register in advance.   
• Housing Provider TA - Monthly on the last Thursday 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Register in advance.  
• Peer Providers TA - Monthly on the 4th Thursday 12:00 – 1:00 PM. Register in advance. 

Share your feedback, ideas and questions: hcpf_safetynetforum@state.co.us