Senate Bill 22-181 Summary

• Directs the Behavioral Health Administration to create and implement a comprehensive plan by September 1, 2022, to expand and strengthen Colorado's behavioral health-care provider workforce through recruitment, retention, and skill development strategies.

• Establishes funding and programs for student loan repayment, scholarships, peer support professional expansion, telehealth capacity, rural workforce development, and cross-training of first responders in behavioral health services.

• Appropriates $36.8 million to the Behavioral Health Administration, $20 million to the Primary Care Office, and $15.2 million to the Department of Higher Education from the Behavioral and Mental Health Cash Fund (federal COVID-19 recovery funds).

• Requires collaboration among multiple state departments and agencies to develop career pathways, training curricula, licensing portability standards, and workforce development programs aligned with labor market needs.

• Creates temporary statutory provisions that sunset on September 1, 2024, with extended spending authority through December 30, 2024, to address behavioral health workforce shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.