As early as today, March 22, the Colorado Legislative Audit Committee may see the first draft of a bill from the State Auditor that would authorize the investigation of the state’s 17 nonprofit community mental health centers, which together represent the state’s approach to providing mental health to Colorado residents. For the past 60 years, each has been granted “non-compete contracts and a privileged rate status” say critics, “without meaningful oversight.”

In January 2022,  Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, (D-Aurora) and Colin Larson (R-Littleton), and Sens. Robert Rodriquez (D-Denver), and Julie Gonzales (D-Denver), all of whom are members of the audit committee, came together to demand an audit of activities. Their decision is not occurring in a void.

The audit bill was been ordered after months of investigative journalism by several members of the Colorado News Collaborative (COLab), of which Ark Valley Voice is a member. In December, COLab reported that the centers “collectively have treated fewer clients during the pandemic than before it, despite skyrocketing mental health needs.”

At that time, the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, which advocates for the community clinics across the state, stepped forward declaring that they believed an audit of activity across the 17 regions was warranted and in a letter to Governor Jared Polis, requested that the state conduct such an audit.