Two years into the pandemic, amid what experts call a statewide mental health crisis, Democrats and Republicans at the Colorado Legislature are advancing multiple bills that could drastically increase funding for state behavioral health programs.
Together, these bills could provide over $192 million in funding for behavioral health programs, particularly ones aimed at children and families.
“I think the most impacted are going to be our youth with serious mental illness,” said state Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City), who sponsored several of the bills. “[There are some who have] come into the hospital … and are not ready to be sent out – they need longer-term care. We’re going to see some help for them, too.”
This month alone, at least six new behavioral health bills have cleared various committees and chambers within the legislature. Although none of them have been signed into law yet, all have seen a level of bipartisan support from lawmakers that is growing increasingly rare.
In this case, the support from both sides of the political aisle might come as a surprise, given that GOP lawmakers typically oppose social spending measures.
State Rep. Richard Holtorf (R-Akron) has voted yes on some of the bills during their committee hearings, but voted against others, including one he said he supported.
In an email exchange, Holtorf told the Colorado Times Recorder he supported two of the bills, one (HB22-1281) funding a behavioral health grant program and the other funding residential care for youth and families (HB22-1283), “with extreme reservation” because each bill required a substantial appropriation of funds.
“The bottom line is Colorado needs additional investments in building behavioral and mental health capacity within Colorado,” Holtorf said. “The fact that we rank 37 out of 50 states in national rankings on Mental Health is a real challenge which requires attention.”
Holtorf further elaborated on his position, saying that mental health challenges have hit his district – which is in Southeastern Colorado – especially hard.
“The real issue for me and my support for both bills is the correlation between high suicide rates in my district and across the state and the lack of mental health capacity and programs in Colorado,” said Holtorf. “My support on these two bills aims to raise our national Mental Health standing and lower our youth and adult suicide rates in Colorado over the next two years.”
Notably, though, Holtorf voted against the bill (HB22-1283) funding behavioral health grants when it came before the House of Representatives on April 20.
The lawmaker has also previously seemed less amenable to working with Democrats and has stated that he won’t support “socialism.”
The question of why, if at all, he sees these behavioral health bills as different from other publicly funded social programs was left unanswered after a Holtorf aide stated that the representative would not be providing any further comment on the matter.
State Rep. Rod Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells) has also emerged as a consistent, if unlikely, supporter of many of the bills. Another Republican state Representative, Mary Bradfield of Colorado Springs, gave mixed support to the bills, even voting against one she sponsored.
Neither Pelton nor Bradfield responded to requests for comment.
In recent years, GOP lawmakers have increasingly promoted mental health reform, citing mental illness as a possible reason for mass shootings. According to reporting from the Washington Post, many mass shooting suspects have no diagnosed mental conditions, and some sources have speculated that focusing on mental health could be a strategy for shifting the conversation away from gun control.
Nonetheless, some Democratic lawmakers see the show of support from some Republicans as a sign that the need for behavioral health programs has transcended party lines.
“I think that there is a clear understanding of the behavioral health crisis facing our society,” said Rep. Michaelson Jenet. “And I think that breeds bipartisan support.”
Below is a summary of some key behavioral health bills that have been voted on this month.
Behavioral Health Care Services for Children (Senate Bill 147)
What this bill does: Senate Bill 147 appropriates $11.1 million from Colorado’s behavioral and mental health cash fund to:
- Support primary care practitioners in diagnosing and treating some behavioral health conditions in children
- Invest in more behavioral health professionals for schools
- Expand behavioral health centers in schools
Prime sponsors: State Sens. Chris Kolker (D-Centennial) and Jerry Sonnenberg (R-Sterling); state Reps. Mary Young (D-Greeley) and Rod Pelton
Committees and chambers cleared: Senate (passed on a 35-0 vote), Senate Health & Human Services Committee (passed on a 7-0 vote), Senate Appropriations Committee (passed on a 7-0 vote), House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee (passed on a 10-0 vote), House Appropriations Committee (passed on an 8-3 vote)
Noteworthy votes: State Rep. Ron Hanks (R-Cañon City) voted yes on Senate Bill 147 when it was heard by the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee. The next day, when the bill was referred to the House Appropriations Committee, Hanks voted no.
The only legislators so far to vote against the bill are Hanks, state Rep. Kim Ransom (R-Lone Tree), and state Rep. Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction).
Current status: The bill has cleared the Senate. The House Appropriations Committee passed it today and referred it to the House Committee of the Whole.
Behavioral Health Administration (House Bill 1278)
What this bill does: House Bill 1278 establishes the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), which will oversee many of the state’s behavioral health programs. The BHA will also establish protocols for monitoring performance, addressing grievances, licensing behavioral health entities, and other essential functions.
Prime sponsors: State Reps. Mary Young and Rod Pelton; state Sens. Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs) and Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa)
Committees and chambers cleared: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee (passed on a 10-1 vote), House Appropriations Committee (passed on an 8-2 vote), House of Representatives (passed on a 46-14 vote)
Noteworthy votes: State Reps. Dave Williams (R-Colorado Springs), Kim Ransom, and Janice Rich have voted against the bill so far in committees.
In the House vote, 38 Democrats and eight Republicans voted yes on House Bill 1278. Three Democrats were excused from voting. Meanwhile, 14 Republicans voted no (the other two were excused from voting).
Current status: The bill has cleared the House of Representatives and is being heard today by the Senate Health & Human Services Committee.
What supporters have said: “The pandemic has only exacerbated the long-standing challenges Coloradans have faced when trying to access the behavioral health care they need to thrive,” said state Rep. Mary Young in a press release. “This bill will boost access to the care Coloradans need and cut the red tape that prevents too many people from getting the help they need.”
Community Behavioral Health Continuum of Care Gap Grants (House Bill 1281)
What this bill does: House Bill 1281 appropriates $90 million from Colorado’s behavioral and mental health cash fund for a grant program to be administered by the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). BHA will be able to award grants to support behavioral health care services, especially those intended for kids and families.
In addition, the BHA will be responsible for developing an assessment tool to find regional gaps in behavioral health care services, and will prioritize giving grant money to applicants who are helping to address service gaps (per the assessment tool).
Prime sponsors: State Reps. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez (D-Denver) and Naquetta Ricks (D-Aurora); state Sens. Faith Winter (D-Westminster) and Bob Rankin (R-Carbondale)
Committees and chambers cleared: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee (passed on an 11-0 vote), House Appropriations Committee (passed on a 7-3 vote), House of Representatives (passed on a 46-19 vote)
Noteworthy votes: In committee votes so far, state Reps. Colin Larson (R-Littleton), Kim Ransom, and Janice Rich have voted no on House Bill 1281.
In the House of Representatives vote, all 41 Democrats and five Republicans voted in favor of the bill. The remaining 19 House Republicans voted against the bill, including state Rep. Mary Bradfield, who was a sponsor of the bill and voted yes while the bill was being heard by the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee.
Current status: The bill passed the House of Representatives on Monday and will go to the Senate for consideration.
What supporters have said: “Colorado doesn’t have nearly enough long-term mental health residential bed capacity, leading many families to send their children out of state for care,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet in a press release. “This situation doesn’t meet the needs of our state’s children or our families, which is why we are investing $54 million to increase youth and family residential and outpatient care in Colorado.”
Youth and Family Residential Behavioral Health Care (House Bill 1283)
What this bill does: House Bill 1283 will appropriate $54 million from the state behavioral and mental health cash fund to:
- Establish in-home and residential care programs for kids and families in up to seven regions of Colorado
- Offer greater support to existing psychiatric residential treatment facilities and some residential treatment programs for youth
- Create and staff a neuropsychiatric facility at Fort Logan’s mental health institute
Prime sponsors: State Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City) and Mary Bradfield; state Sens. Janet Buckner (D-Aurora) and Kevin Priola (R-Henderson)
Committees and chambers cleared: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee (passed on an 11-0 vote), House Appropriations Committee (passed on a 8-3 vote), House of Representatives (passed on a 57-6 vote)
Noteworthy votes: State Reps. Ron Hanks, Kim Ransom, and Janice Rich have voted against the bill in committees.
In the House of Representatives vote, all 41 Democrats and 16 Republicans voted in favor of the bill. Six House Republicans voted no, including state Rep. Richard Holtorf, who had voted yes during the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services vote. He also told the Colorado Times Recorder he supported the bill.
Current status: House Bill 1283 has passed the House of Representatives as of April 20. It has been referred to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and is scheduled to be heard today.
Health Care Practice Transformation (House Bill 1302)
What this bill does: House Bill 1302 will appropriate $35 million for grant funding to be awarded to primary care practices that integrate physical with behavioral health care. With this increased funding, Coloradans will have greater access to mental health and substance-use disorder screening as well as early interventions that may help prevent later crises.
Prime sponsors: State Reps. Chris Kennedy (D-Lakewood) and Perry Will (R-New Castle); state Sens. Sonya Jaquez Lewis (D-Lafayette) and Kevin Priola
Committees and chambers cleared: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee (passed on an 10-1 vote), House Appropriations Committee (passed on a 7-3 vote), House of Representatives (passed on a 43-20 vote), Senate Health & Human Services Committee (passed on a 5-2 vote)
Noteworthy votes: State Reps. Dave Williams, Colin Larson, Kim Ransom, and Janice Rich have voted against the bill in committees, as have state Sens. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County) and Jim Smallwood (R-Parker).
In the House of Representatives vote, 39 Democrats and four Republicans voted yes on House Bill 1302. The other two Democrats were excused from voting. The remaining 20 Republicans, including state Rep. Richard Holtorf, voted against the bill.
Current status: The bill has cleared the House of Representatives and moved into the Senate. The Senate Health & Human Services Committee passed the bill on Monday and referred it to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
What supporters have said: “[This] legislation … will invest $35 million to integrate behavioral health care into primary care so that Coloradans can access both at the same location at the same time,” state Rep. Chris Kennedy said in a press release. “This will save Coloradans money when they seek behavioral health care or substance use disorder treatment and make critical care more available throughout the state, especially in rural and underserved areas.”
Children’s Mental Health Programs (House Bill 1369)
What this bill does: House Bill 1369 directs $2 million in pandemic relief funding towards behavioral health programs for young children. Specifically, the programs will be aimed at prevention as well as early intervention for children experiencing trauma or chronic stress in their home environment.
Prime sponsors: State Reps. Emily Sirota (D-Denver) and Rod Pelton; state Sens. Tammy Story (D-Conifer) and Jerry Sonnenberg
Committees and chambers cleared: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee (passed on an 10-0 vote)
Noteworthy votes: The House of Representatives has not voted on House Bill 1369 yet, but the bill unanimously cleared the first House committee that heard it.
Current status: The bill has passed the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee and is set to be heard by the House Appropriations Committee today.
What supporters have said: “Stressful and traumatic conditions can have negative, long-term impacts on the behavioral health of our youngest kids,” state Rep. Emily Sirota said in a press release. “We’re using federal relief dollars to invest in our youth’s behavioral health through the creation of early intervention and home-based prevention programs tailored towards children and their families experiencing chronic stress or trauma.”
