Analysis of Selected 2025 Colorado Legislative Bills

📌 Behavioral Health Contracting and Administrative Simplification

HB25-1124: Universal Contracting Provision Requirements

What it does:

• Simplifies state contracting requirements for behavioral health providers by eliminating 13 of the previous 16 requirements, significantly reducing administrative burden.
• Adds a new requirement to help individuals better connect to Colorado’s behavioral health safety-net system.

Why it matters to you:
Less paperwork, quicker onboarding, and improved ease of compliance for practices contracting with state-funded programs or Medicaid.

Status: Currently under consideration in the legislature.

📌 Behavioral Health & Crisis Response

HB25-1021: Tax Incentives for Employee-Owned Businesses

• Provides significant tax incentives for businesses converting to employee-owned structures, including state capital gains deductions and enhanced tax credits.
• Ideal for practices interested in innovative business structures (employee-ownership or worker cooperatives).

Status: Introduced and under legislative consideration.

HB25-1008: Complementary Behavioral Health Services in Jails

• Offers incentives to jails for providing additional behavioral health services, improving care access for incarcerated individuals.

Status: Introduced and currently under legislative review.

📌 Youth & Foster Care Support

HB25-1271: Federal Benefits for Youth in Foster Care

• Updates practices to help foster youth access federal benefits, promoting financial stability.

Status: Introduced; under legislative consideration.

HB25-1160: Youth Prevention Mental Health Pilot Program

• Creates a pilot program offering students an online behavioral health prevention tool to address youth mental health proactively.

Status: Currently under legislative consideration.

SB25-073: Military-Connected Children with Disabilities

• Strengthens support systems for children with disabilities from military families, improving their continuity of care.

Status: Introduced in the House and assigned to Health & Human Services.

📌 Support for Individuals with Disabilities

HB25-1017: Community Integration Plan for Individuals with Disabilities

• Enhances community integration strategies for people with disabilities, promoting their active participation and independence.

Status: Introduced and under consideration in legislature.

HB25-1003: Children with Complex Health Needs Waiver

• Consolidates two existing Medicaid waiver programs into one streamlined program tailored specifically for children with complex medical or developmental needs.

Status: Introduced and currently in review.

📌 Medical & Health Care Treatment Innovations

HB25-1270: Patients' Right to Try Individualized Treatments

• Expands patients' rights to access experimental or investigational medical treatments, potentially impacting treatment options for individuals with complex conditions.

Status: Introduced and undergoing legislative consideration.

HB25-1263: Graduate Medical Education Grant Program

• Creates financial incentives through grants for medical training programs, encouraging more providers to serve underserved Colorado communities.

Status: Introduced and currently in committee.

📌 Mental Health Prevention Programs for Youth

HB25-1160: Youth Prevention Mental Health Pilot Program

• Introduces a pilot program providing students access to an online tool for proactive behavioral health prevention and support.

Status: Currently being discussed in committee.

📌 Insurance & Provider Protections

HB25-1068: Malpractice Insurers & Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

• Proposed protections for malpractice insurers providing coverage for gender-affirming care to minors.
  Status: Postponed indefinitely (no longer being considered this session).

📌 Recognition for Behavioral Health Professionals

HJR25-1008: Honoring Co-Responders & Behavioral Health Professionals

• Officially recognizes and honors professionals involved in behavioral health crisis response and intervention, raising public awareness and appreciation.

Status: Introduced and under legislative review.

📌 Housing & Infrastructure Improvements

HB25-1032: Improving Infrastructure to Reduce Homelessness

• Enhances state infrastructure to effectively reduce homelessness, potentially benefiting clients who struggle with housing instability.

Status: Currently referred to Appropriations.

Why This Matters to You:

These bills could:

• Reduce administrative burdens when contracting with the state.
• Provide tax savings for providers transitioning to employee-owned models.
• Expand resources and support available for your clients, particularly youth, individuals with disabilities, and those involved in foster care or corrections.