COVID-19 Treatments
April 25, 2022
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Colorado encourages those who test positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of getting sick from COVID-19 to seek treatment to help them recover.
Welcome to Colorado Crisis Services (CCS)! Our program began in 2013 after the Aurora Theater shooting. Governor John Hickenlooper and the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) created the initiative “Strengthening Colorado’s Mental Health System: A Plan to Safeguard All Coloradans.” This initiative made it easier for Coloradans to access behavioral healthcare services, no matter their ability to pay.
CDHS Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) oversees Colorado Crisis Services. They are committed to providing comprehensive, coordinated, easily accessible, culturally informed, and integrated services for people experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
Here in Region 4, Health Colorado, Inc. oversees the crisis service modalities. We serve 19 counties across the southeast quadrant of the state, and our goal is to ensure that our crisis services are available to all individuals living within our region. We offer a wide variety of services, including walk-in centers, stabilization units, mobile crisis, and respite services. We also offer specialty crisis services, high fidelity wraparound, children/youth/families crisis resolution teams (CRTs), and support for the Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act and the Family First Prevention Services Act.
Our statewide crisis program provides clinical and peer support for individuals needing mental health, substance use, or emotional crisis help. The term ‘crises’ was intentionally not defined to ensure people reaching out for services could self-define their experience. This allows for accessibility that does not require a formal diagnosis or connection to a specific issue. Our comprehensive system promotes universal access to the most appropriate support and resources as early as possible. This decreases inappropriate and unlawful utilization of jails and prisons.
Four regional Administrative Service Organization (ASO) contractors and a statewide hotline contractor coordinate the Colorado Crisis Services Statewide: Health Solutions, San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group, Solvista Health, and Valley-Wide Health Systems.
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Individuals seeking in-person assistance or helping others with a crisis may use walk-in centers within our region across the state
Upon admission, the individual is evaluated by a behavioral health clinician and psychiatric prescriber within 24 hours
Mobile services are accessed through the crisis line and deployed by provider agencies. Call 844-493-8255 for more information.
A referral to respite services requires an assessment at a walk-in center or by a mobile crisis clinician. Residential respite services provide voluntary individuals who would benefit from supervision but are not an acute threat to themselves or others with a safe and supportive environment. Service availability varies by geographic location.
High-fidelity wraparound is an individualized approach to helping children, youth, and families with complex needs. Service providers, natural supports and the youth and family work together to help achieve the family vision. The team honors the strengths, voice, and culture of the family to build confidence and experience success at home, in school, and in the community.
1 – Identify Your Needs
Wraparound staff meet family members to learn their needs.
2 – Identify Your Goals
A team of professionals, natural supports, and family come together to address potential challenges and create action steps.
3 – Implement Plan
The team meets regularly with the family to check in on progress and provide support to meet the action steps in the plan.
4 – Celebrate Success
Using services, tools, and skills from the team, the family achieves their goals.
If you think your family, or the families you work with, would benefit from high-fidelity wraparound, contact Health Colorado, Inc. at 719-621-9500. If they are accepted into the program, they will have a dedicated wraparound facilitator who will set up meetings with all the key players, coordinate logistics, and be the main day-to-day contact for the families. High-fidelity wraparound is an evidence-based process for moving system-involved families toward independence and success. It is the only evidence-based care coordination model for system-involved children and youth with serious behavioral health challenges and their families.
The current worldwide crisis of COVID-19 is contributing to an increase in reports of young people experiencing anxiety, turmoil, isolation, and suicidal ideation and attempts.
Even prior to the COVID-19 crisis, young people were experiencing greater rates of feeling pressured, anxiety, relationship troubles, and suicidal ideation. Children’s Hospital of Colorado recently declared a state of emergency, citing unprecedented admissions, lack of inpatient and bed-based infrastructure, and the need for increased support to young people and their families. Recent Colorado legislation (SB21-137) allocated $5,000,000 for Colorado crisis system services in response to the effect of COVID-19 on the behavioral health of Colorado residents, including statewide access to crisis system services for children and youth. These dollars will be utilized to provide specialized in-home services to children, youth, and families in crisis in Colorado. Young people and families experience improved outcomes when stabilized in the home and reduces the burden on the bed-based system.
Clients served will be children, youth, and families who present to the crisis system and/ or emergency departments with high acuity needs, who have received a crisis evaluation and are determined to be safe to remain in the home or community to receive intensive, short-term stabilization interventions.
Services include intensive in-home services to children, youth, and their families following a crisis episode. A multidisciplinary, team-based approach will be used with families and the teams shall employ a variety of staff, with corresponding supervision based on the level of experience and expertise of the team composition. The team composition can be flexible and may include any of the following:
If you think your family, or the families you work with, would benefit from services offered through the Crisis Resolution Team, contact Health Colorado, Inc. at 719-621-9500.
The Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act (CYMHTA) (C.R.S. 27-67-101, et. seq.), also called House Bill 18-1094, allows for families to access mental health treatment services for their child or youth. CYMHTA is an alternative to child welfare involvement when a dependency and neglect action isn’t warranted. CYMHTA funding can be available when there is no other appropriate funding source for treatment, such as private insurance.
To be eligible for the Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act, a child or youth:
For additional questions or assistance regarding the Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act, please contact the CYMHTA Program Manager, Stacey Davis at 720.541.3724 or [email protected].
All children and youth should grow up in a safe, stable and secure family that supports their long-term well-being. Research shows that growing up in a family is essential for all kids, especially those who have experienced abuse or neglect.
The Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First) is a federal law that allows local child welfare agencies to use federal funding to pay for services that keep kids safe, growing up in their families.
Family First provides Colorado the opportunity to:
For more information about Family First in Colorado visit CO4Kids.org.
For more information please visit: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/our-services/child-and-family-services/child-welfare/forms-and-policies/family-first-prevention
You are not alone. When you need someone to talk to, they will always be available, 24/7/365. Every conversation with their professional counselors is free and confidential.
Colorado encourages those who test positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of getting sick from COVID-19 to seek treatment to help them recover.
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You are not alone. When you need someone to talk to, they will always be available, 24/7/365. Every conversation with their professional counselors is free and confidential.
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