Regulatory Advisor - Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic

Role Overview

This role sits within the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), under the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) in the Governmental Affairs Office’s Regulatory Affairs Unit. The unit develops and maintains the rule structure for Provider Rules (2 CCR 502-1), System/Commissioner Rules (2 CCR 502-5), and Administrative Rules (2 CCR 502-6), which guide behavioral health licensing, BHA program oversight, and internal procedures. The position serves as the lead authority for regulatory work connected to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Demonstration pilot.

This is a term-limited, full-time position ending on July 1, 2030. It is hybrid, with office presence required as business needs dictate, and those work arrangements may change. The role is open only to current Colorado residents. Pay is issued on a biweekly schedule. This recruitment may be used to fill more than one vacancy.

CCBHC Regulatory Leadership

The selected candidate will act as the BHA’s subject matter expert and main contact for regulatory work, policy decisions, and process coordination tied to the CCBHC Demonstration pilot. This includes guiding initiatives from the earliest concept stage through federal approval, implementation, and final publication.

• Direct CCBHC regulatory projects through concept, approval, rollout, and publication stages.
• Serve as the central connector across BHA divisions and outside partners such as HCPF, BHASO partners, Regional Accountable Entities (RAEs), the Attorney General’s Office, federal partners, and the Carina Health Network.
• Ensure alignment with federal SAMHSA requirements and fiscal data standards.
• Coordinate shared drafting, subregulatory guidance, and cross-department rule development to support statewide strategy.
• Support governance for the State CCBHC Advisory Board, including meeting materials, data review, compliance tracking, and federal reporting.
• Review CCBHC demonstration operations each year and provide analysis and recommendations for the Director of Regulatory Affairs and the annual Regulatory and Policy Agenda.

Rule Drafting, Analysis, and Technical Assistance

This position also supports broader behavioral health rulemaking work by researching best practices, drafting policy language, and helping other agencies and partners understand how regulatory changes should be applied.

• Research and synthesize best practices that inform regulatory projects.
• Write rules, guidance, and policy documents grounded in established standards and care models.
• Create training and technical assistance tools for state agencies, external partners, and internal teams.
• Monitor compliance with regulatory initiatives and CCBHC standards as assigned.
• Prepare materials and supporting analysis for Board appearances and related project justification.
• Develop presentations and briefing documents explaining how the CCBHC Demonstration affects BHA, other departments, and community partners.
• Revise regulatory materials based on Board feedback and ensure appropriate subject-matter input is included.
• Manage the rule review calendar, stakeholder feedback schedule, rule packets, committee review summaries, clearance steps, and public notice requirements.
• Coordinate with the State Board of Human Services Administrator to complete rule packets and schedule Board action.
• Identify and engage internal and external subject-matter experts to support sound rule development and stakeholder needs.
• Lead regular coordination meetings with other state agencies to keep regulatory work consistent across CCBHC and related topics.
• Review statutes to determine legislative intent and help interpret how intent should be reflected in rule, consulting the Attorney General’s Office when needed.
• Confirm that rules align with other departments, including CDPHE licensing rules and DORA scope-of-practice rules.
• Train stakeholders and BHA staff on regulatory requirements affecting the administration.
• Draft responses to questions from the State Board of Human Services regarding the purpose and substance of proposed rules.

Additional Duties

The position may also be assigned other tasks, projects, or special initiatives that BHA determines are necessary, even if they are not specifically listed above.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates need either:

• Seven years of relevant experience in regulatory drafting and compliance, federal healthcare program knowledge, and/or cross-agency stakeholder collaboration; or
• A combination of related education in Public Policy, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Law (JD), Social Work, Behavioral Health Administration, and/or related experience in regulatory drafting, compliance, federal healthcare program knowledge, and inter-agency collaboration.

Preferred Experience and Core Competencies

• Deep subject-matter expertise in the relevant program area
• Hands-on CCBHC experience
• Knowledge of federal funding and reimbursement
• Strong understanding of Colorado regulatory systems
• Ability to navigate complex state structures and inter-agency processes
• Experience with statewide agency collaboration
• Support for rulemaking authority and policy development
• Advisory council or board management experience
• Technical and professional communication skills
• Understanding of accessible rulemaking
• Ability to manage complex projects
• Skill in evaluating rules using data and evidence

Employment Conditions

• Background check and references are required.
• A valid, unrestricted Colorado driver’s license is required.
• If driving a state vehicle for regular duties or occasional work-related needs, a motor vehicle record check will be required.
• Applicants with an out-of-state license must obtain a valid, unrestricted Colorado driver’s license within 30 days of starting.
• Standard schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; some evenings and weekends may be necessary.
• This is a hybrid role and requires travel to the office location.
• The position is term-limited to the CCBHC Demonstration period, which began on 07/01/2026 and ends on 7/1/2030.
• Some travel is expected for stakeholder engagement and presentations to the State Board of Human Services.
• Former State employees who were disciplined or resigned instead of being terminated must disclose that history, explain why it should not bar employment, and provide their prior employee number. Failure to provide this information may disqualify the applicant, except in extraordinary circumstances.

Selection Process

Employment history is evaluated on a full-time equivalent basis of 40 hours per week, and part-time experience is prorated. Applicants should fully describe their qualifications, accomplishments, work products, and experience in the official State of Colorado online application. Resumes and cover letters are not reviewed during the minimum qualification screening stage, and applicants should not use phrases such as “see resume” or “see attached.”

After the minimum qualification review, applications are scored through a comparative analysis of all submitted materials. This process may include an eSkills test. If supplemental questions are included, they must be answered completely and thoughtfully, with at least 4–8 sentences per response. Answers are assessed for content as well as writing quality, including spelling, grammar, and clarity.

Appeal Rights

If an application is removed from consideration, the candidate may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director. The official appeal form must be signed by the applicant or representative and submitted within 10 calendar days of receiving notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action. Submission methods include email to dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us, postal mail to 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203, hand delivery to the same address, or fax to 303.866.5038. For assistance, the State Personnel Board can be reached at (303) 866-3300. Additional appeal guidance is available in Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director’s Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8.

Supplemental Information

• How to apply to the State of Colorado (video resource, runtime 3:59, with closed captions)
• The Assessment Process
• For recruiting questions, contact Stacy.Chinea@state.co.us

About CDHS and Benefits

The Colorado Department of Human Services describes its mission as improving the safety, independence, and well-being of people in Colorado through high-quality human and health services. Benefits include a secure and flexible retirement package through PERA defined benefit or defined contribution plans plus 401(k) and 457 options, medical and dental coverage, an employer-funded Health Savings Account supplement, paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, 11 paid holidays annually, vacation and sick leave, a State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center, an employee wellness program, and additional workplace support. The posting text also notes “Excellent...” but the remainder of that sentence was not provided in the source.

Work Schedule and Pay

This is a full-time, hybrid, term-limited state position located in Denver, Colorado. Compensation is paid biweekly.

Who Can Apply

This opening is limited to current Colorado residents.