COLORADO — The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) launched a new service Tuesday to provide specialized access to mental health care providers.
The new website, OwnPath, is an online directory to connect people with licensed BHA providers. Users can search for providers in their area and narrow them by criteria such as payment types accepted, days of operation, language, and more.
Ashley Darnell, a product manager with the Colorado Office of Information Technology, helped build the database six months before it launched. She said it aims to be a one-stop shop for people needing mental health care.
"A lot of times when folks are looking for care, a lot of times you're looking in multiple locations, trying to comb websites. The last thing that we want the people of Colorado to do is go through that process and end up at the wrong place or location that doesn't fully fit their care needs," Darnell said.
The BHA said it consulted with local mental health providers from January to May of 2022 for advice on how to build the site.
"Taking all of that into account and consolidating this information into a single one-stop shop, that's really reducing some of those primary barriers," Darnell said.
She said some of the barriers to getting help include traveling distance, language preference, and payment type, which they built into filters for the database.
“OwnPath is a new resource for Coloradans to further provide people with access to behavioral health services when they need them most. We are committed to expanding affordable mental health resources in our state to save people money and make sure every Coloradan has the opportunity to thrive,” said Gov. Polis.
The BHA said OwnPathcan also be used to find help for substance use disorders. The database is available in both English and Spanish, with more languages to come. The crisis line, 1-844-493-8255 (text TALK to 38255), is available if users are experiencing an immediate need.
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