Managed Services Organization (MSO): MSO's are responsible for oversight, quality assurance, and contract compliance of funded substance abuse treatment providers. The Colorado Division of Behavioral Health has established seven Sub-State Planning Areas (SSPAs) to manage distribution of substance abuse treatment services in the State of Colorado. Signal manages services in SSPAs 1, 2 and 4 which represents approximately three-quarters of the system.

Managed Care Organization (MCO): An MCO is a group of doctors, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and other providers who work together to take care of their members' health care needs. It's a generic term applied to companies offering managed care health plans. They were formed as a way to keep medical costs down through preventative medicine, patient education and in other ways. The programs may be provided in a variety of settings, such as HMOs and PPOs.

This material based on information from Colorado's Health Care Policy and Finance agency and from West Slope Casa, LLC.