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Read. Follow. Verify.Colorado shifts residential treatment services for youth in county custody into the managed care system
Last action · June 2, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Judy Amabile and 18 others
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What This Bill Does
Colorado requires the department of health care policy and financing to transition residential treatment program and psychiatric facility services into the for youth in county human services custody, starting with a steering committee by July 1, 2026, and full implementation by July 1, 2027.
Changes how behavioral and residential health care services are funded, organized, and delivered for children and youth under county custody, establishing new oversight timelines for state health officials.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
members in the care and custody of a county department of human or social services
Their residential treatment and psychiatric facility services will be transitioned into the managed care system.
qualified residential treatment programs
Services they provide will be transitioned under the managed care system according to new state policies.
psychiatric residential treatment facilities
Services they provide will be transitioned under the managed care system according to new state policies.
department of health care policy and financing
The department is required to convene a steering committee, develop transition policies, implement the shift, and submit quarterly reports.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is affected by this transition?
What is the timeline for moving these services to managed care?
Who receives regular reports on the steering committee's progress?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
12 actions- Jun 2, 2026Office of the GovernorEnrolledGovernor Signed
- May 21, 2026SenateFloorSigned by the President of the Senate
- May 21, 2026HouseFloorSigned by the Speaker of the House
- May 21, 2026Office of the GovernorEnrolledSent to the Governor
- May 12, 2026HouseFloorHouse Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
- May 11, 2026HouseHouse Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
Show 6 earlier actions
- May 9, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
- May 7, 2026SenateFloorSenate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
- May 7, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations
- May 6, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
- May 6, 2026SenateSenate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
- May 1, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
Refer Senate Bill 26-188 to the Committee of the Whole.
Total
6
- Yes
- 6
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
Show 1 earlier roll call
Refer Senate Bill 26-188 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Total
7
- Yes
- 7
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 14 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Integration into Managed Care
The legislation mandates a shift of specialized residential and psychiatric treatment services for youth in county custody from traditional structures into the managed care framework.
Connected Entities
Sources
leg.colorado.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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