About BHA Funding Opportunities
When available, the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) posts official announcements regarding grant awards, grant closures, and/or further information regarding these specific grant opportunities on the VSS Colorado website. You can also find information about the status of these solicitations and their numbers, on the tables provided below. BHA encourages those interested in grants or solicitations to check the solicitation statuses on the VSS Colorado website for the most up-to-date information. Instructions on how to send in a proposal, or apply, will also be included on VSS.
How to do Business with the State of Colorado
The Behavioral Health Administration is committed to working with the States diverse and inclusive community to make the services we provide stronger and more reliable.
The following link contains information and first steps for organizations interested in working with the State: https://osc.colorado.gov/spco/accesscolorado
Tips for Vendors
To do business with BHA and the State of Colorado you must:
- Be registered with the State of Colorado Secretary of State.
- Be registered and in good standing with SAM.gov, the federal government's database for contract opportunities.
- Thoroughly read the solicitation and follow all instructions.
Open Solicitations and Grants
There are currently no open solicitations and grants.
Upcoming Solicitations and Grants
The BHA encourages everyone to check VSS Colorado website regularly for the following solicitations.
| Solicitation Name | Legislation | Summary of Services | Posting Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organizations | Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organizations (“BHASOs”) are regionally-informed administrative organizations with which BHA contracts to establish, administer, and maintain adequate networks of Behavioral Health Safety Net Services and Care Coordination. (C.R.S. § 27-50-401(1)). For more information see the “Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organizations (BHASOs)” Drop-down tab on https://bha.colorado.gov/our-partners | April 2024 |
Recently Closed Solicitations and Grants
The BHA has been excited to see the outpouring of interest and number of applications for these grant programs. The BHA is eager to partner with the proposed awardees and implement innovative programs that will greatly enhance Colorado's behavioral health system. The immense amount of effort that the community has put toward these grant applications is greatly appreciated.
The BHA is not accepting any further applications into these grant programs at this time.
After vendors receive their Notice of Award, the BHA procurement and contracting team reaches out for next steps in contract execution. All the awarded applicants are invited to a kick-off meeting where the next steps are being explained and further BHA team introductions are made. Once an agreement is executed, work can begin. An agreement is considered to be executed when all parties, including the State Controller, sign it.
| Solicitation Number/Name | Legislation | Summary of Services | Notice of Intent to Award (NOI) Link |
|---|---|---|---|
RFP IBEH 2024000239 Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act (CYMHTA) - Medicaid Reviews and State Level Appeals | 2 CCR 502-1 | This solicitation is to re-procure multiple independent third-party organizations or persons to provide state-level appeals support for any child or youth where mental health services are being increased, decreased, terminated, or denied by the mental health agency covered under CYMHTA. | Pending |
RFP IBEH 2024000199 Crisis 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network Act | C.R.S. 27-65-103; C.R.S. 27-64-103 | This solicitation seeks a vendor to operate a statewide call center for Colorado Crisis Services and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline that will receive and respond to Crisis and 988 phone calls, texts and chats. | Pending |
RFP IBEH 2024000190 Sixth Through Twelfth Grade Mental Health Screening Act | BHA seeks a screener (that can be a data vendor as well) to conduct mental health screenings in any public school that serves any of grades sixth through twelfth. | ||
DQ1 IBEH 2024000316 Leadership Development | A vendor that provides leadership teams training services for rapid changes and adjustments | ||
RFP IBEH 2024000099 Behavioral Health Workforce Peer Support Professionals | BHA will soon announce the Notice of Intent to Award to distribute approximately $5 million in grants to grow and support the Peer Support Workforce. BHA is implementing a Peer Support Professionals Grant to address the need to increase the number of peers in the state through certification, training, and career advancement opportunities. This opportunity will serve to expand the Peer Support workforce and grow professional and/or career opportunities for Colorado Peer Support Professionals. | ||
FY24 Co-Responder Expansion | N/A | BHA will soon announce the Notice of Intent to Award to support Co-Responder Programs to create and foster partnerships between behavioral health professionals and law enforcement. The law enforcement officer and the behavioral health specialist’s combined expertise aims to improve de-escalation of situations, deflect individuals away from involvement with the criminal justice system and/or unnecessary hospitalization, and link them to appropriate services. | |
Care Coordination Statewide | Request for Information regarding recommendations to support and update the admission process for emergency mental health holds. No financial award will be made. | No award made | |
RFA IBEH 2023000173 Community Investment Grant | Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) has awarded grants for community investments that may be used for evidence-based or evidence informed services along the behavioral health-care continuum that include prevention, treatment, crisis services, recovery support services, harm reduction, care navigation and coordination, trauma recovery, trauma-informed training, training on providing services in a culturally responsive manner, transitional housing, supportive housing, and recovery residences. | NOI | |
RFA IBEH 2023000172 Substance Use Workforce Stability Grant | In June 2022, Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill (HB) 22-1281 which created a grant program to support stability in the substance use disorder treatment workforce. This RFA aims to strengthen and stabilize this critical sector of the behavioral health workforce. | NOI | |
| RFA IBEH 2023000171 Children, Youth, Family Services Grants | The purpose of the grant program is to expand or implement services that have been identified as gaps in Child, Youth, and Family (CYF)-oriented behavioral health care and to improve outcomes for individuals served. | NOI | |
| RFA IBEH 2023000168 Criminal Justice Early Intervention | The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) will provide grants to local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, health-care providers, community-based organizations, and nonprofit organizations to fund programs and strategies that prevent people with behavioral health disorders from becoming involved with the criminal justice system or further penetrating into the criminal justice system and redirect individuals with behavioral health needs from the criminal justice system to appropriate community-based treatment and support services. | NOI | |
| RFA IBEH 2023000417 Career Pipeline Development | Address the need to increase the number of providers and the need to develop quality behavioral health workforce programs by expanding career options for early/entry-level workers. | NOI | |
| RFA IBEH 2023000255 Behavioral Health Workforce Recruitment & Retention Grant | Behavioral Health Workforce Recruitment & Retention grant serves to improve Colorado’s behavioral health workforce. Coloradans will benefit from this grant project by having an increased number of staff to support behavioral health programs and initiatives. | NOI | |
| RFI IBEH 2024000018 Behavioral Health Admin | Behavioral Health Administrative Organizations (BHASOs) will form and administer a network of prevention, treatment, and recovery behavioral health services; manage care coordination, and improve the quality and outcomes of services in their regions. The BHASOs are supporting the individuals in their regions to achieve whole person health. BHA is requesting information and input from the community to provide additional guidance to BHA to be used when developing a thorough statement of work for the upcoming BHASO contract(s). | BHASO information |
Resources for Prospective Vendors
The Behavioral Health Administration, in partnership with Colorado Health Institute, developed a Community Behavioral Health Services Assessment Toolkit. The purpose is to equip local leaders with information and approaches to deepen their understanding of community strengths, needs, and gaps and strengthen their investments in meaningful and equitable behavioral health solutions.
The toolkit shows the types of data and approaches that are expected from anyone applying for a grant program. You can also use an existing county, regional, or community assessment if it identifies gaps in behavioral health services for the relevant geographic area.
The community assessment toolkit is available now, and we encourage applicants to begin reading and using the toolkit prior to the release of the RFAs. Technical assistance is available to those eligible with the assessment toolkit through the BHA. Services will be prioritized based on applicant needs and resources.