Colorado state legislators passed an almost $500 million package of mostly bipartisan mental health bills, Colorado Public Radio reported May 26.
The package is the largest single-year investment lawmakers have ever put into behavioral health, the report said. Most of the money comes from federal COVID-19 relief funds. Gov. Jared Polis has signed or is expected to sign the package's constituent bills into law.
Among the package's bills are measures to:
1. Add capacity for youth and adult mental health patients who need full time residential treatment;
2. Streamline behavioral health administration and increase transparency;
3. Improve services for those in the justice system;
4. Divert people with behavioral health problems into treatment instead of jail;
5. Increase funding for youth, families and schools;
6. Bolster the behavioral health workforce;
7. And provide grants to providers to address gaps in the system.