Office of Behavioral Health blog

Dec. 6, 2021: Nearly 50 Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) programs statewide teach people skills to motivate loved ones in recovery, and—just as importantly—tend to their own emotional needs.

Sept. 24, 2021: Invest in Kids is an OBH sub-contractor receiving High-Risk Families Cash Funds to implement Child First—a national, evidence-based, two-generation, trauma-informed, home-visiting model that works with young children and their caregivers who are most impacted by systemic and structural inequities through intensive, home-based services. In this blog post, Child First Program Director Marisa A. Guillicksrud, LCSW, offers a glimpse into her team’s efforts to roll out the program’s first cohort.

Aug. 26, 2021: This August marks two years that the Forensic Support Team (FST) has been assisting forensic clients when competency restoration services are ordered by the court. Learn how the FST is helping to strengthen Colorado's competency system.

May 19, 2021: Managed Service Organizations (MSOs) Signal Behavioral Health Network (Signal), West Slope Casa, and Diversus Health have posted grant application opportunities to increase substance use disorder capacity and services in rural and frontier communities. The funds for this opportunity are appropriated through House Bill 19-1287.

May 10, 2021: For Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting providers and advocates who are making a difference in our communities. Dr. Lisa Latts, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Rocky Mountain Health Plans, discusses the role that behavioral health providers can play in helping each other heal as we begin to consider what comes after the pandemic.

On April 20, Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 21-1130 into law. The bi-partisan bill expands the Transition Specialist Program (TSP), which facilitates the transition of children and adults from various behavioral health and substance use treatment settings to community living.

Feb. 25, 2021: As we celebrate our state’s diverse Black and African American communities this month, it’s important we back up words with action.

Jan. 28, 2021: Colorado has seen an increase in the social consumption of alcohol and cannabis during the pandemic. It is no wonder. When we feel stressed, scared, lonely, angry or just need to take the edge off, alcohol and cannabis are easy to get and effective at calming us down. Here we discuss ideas on how to establish and maintain a healthy relationship with substances.

Nov. 20, 2020: This spring, as COVID-19 forced society to come to an abrupt standstill, mobile crisis responders like the Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) of Colorado Mobile Crisis Response team remained hyper focused on providing 24/7 support to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Aug. 26, 2020: Admissions to treatment programs for alcohol, meth, prescription opioids and heroin use are up significantly from 2015, according to the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) Drug Trends analysis report.