2019 Legislative Ideas:
Including Authorization to Seek Social Impact Bonds to bring Housing to SCALE for People with Disabilities
CO has one of the Top Economies in the Nation -- often ranked #1
- Form a Stakeholder Group led by the CDHS' Office of Behavioral Health & HCPF to:
- Determine "Specific" Eligibility Criteria Across Colorado's Mental Health Continuum of Care that can be clearly understood by individuals and family members
- Make recommendations to improve Colorado's Mental Health Continuum of Care, specifically addressing:
- 1st Episode Psychosis and lay the groundwork for implementation of the Finnish "Open Dialogue Approach" in Colorado
- The Need to Include "Strengths" identification and development for people with "Mental Illness" -- Develop a Resource Guide to be continually updated.
- Develop a "Resource Guide" for "Workarounds and Accommodations" for common mental, emotional and/or behavioral issues for people with "mental illness."
- Regarding Services for Coloradans with "Invisible"/Cognitive Disabilities including but not limited to: Coloradans with brain injury, mental illness, substance use issues, and developmental disabilities:
- what are the numbers of Coloradans with each of these disabilities and any combination of these disabilities
- what levels of care do these Coloradans require
- Make recommendations to the current Medicaid provided Continuum of Care to bring services & treatment to scale @ the level needed. [This is really GOLDILOCKS: IF THE CARE IS TOO MUCH IT IS NOT INNOCUOUS & IT CAN HURT PEOPLE, BUT IF THE CARE IS TOO LITTLE IT CAN DEFINITELY HURT PEOPLE]
- Bring Assertive Community Treatment to Scale for all people who meet "reasonable medical necessity"
- Authorize Social Impact Bond Proposal to bring housing to scale for people with disabilities who are homeless and/or leaving incarceration.
- Such disabilities should include, but not be limited to: brain injury, mental illness, substance use issues, and developmental disability and any combination of the above.