The act requires the behavioral health administration (BHA) in the department of human services (department) to create and implement a behavioral health-care provider workforce plan on or before September 1, 2022. The plan must: Include recruitment methods to increase and diversify the behavioral health-care provider workforce; Require the BHA to partner with the department of higher education to better prepare the future behavioral health-care provider workforce for public sector service, to develop paid job shadowing and internship opportunities, and to develop partnerships with learning facilities and training centers; Include strategies for the BHA to work with community colleges and other institutions of higher education to recruit residents of health professional shortage areas, with the goal of educating these individuals in behavioral health-care fields so that they will return to practice in areas of need; In collaboration with institutions of higher education, the community college system, the department of higher education, and the work force development council, create a new program to help behavioral health-care providers advance in their respective fields; Require the BHA to expand the peer support professional workforce; Include proposals to work with law enforcement organizations to cross-train first responders in behavioral health, increase cultural competencies, and reduce the stigma of receiving mental health services; and Through an interagency agreement with other state agencies, raise awareness among health-care providers concerning opportunities to invest in and strengthen their behavioral health-care staff. The act requires the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies (DORA) to make recommendations to expand the portability of existing credentialing requirements and behavioral health-care practice through telehealth. The act requires the BHA to: In collaboration with DORA, establish workforce standards that strengthen the behavioral health-care provider workforce and increase opportunities for unlicensed behavioral health-care providers; Work with other state agencies to reduce the administrative burden across agencies to ensure behavioral health-care providers have additional time to focus on patient care; Collaborate with other state agencies on behavioral health-care issues; Use the learning management system to develop and implement a comprehensive, collaborative, and cross-system training certification and training curriculum of evidence-based treatment and evidence-based criminal justice approaches for behavioral health-care providers working in programs to obtain a criminal justice treatment provider endorsement; and Develop methods to strengthen Colorado's current behavioral health-care provider workforce. In 2023 and 2024, the department is required to provide an overview of the BHA's progress toward addressing the behavioral health-care provider workforce shortage during the hearings held prior to the regular session of the general assembly under the "SMART Act". On or before January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, the community college system is required to submit a report to the BHA that includes a summary of the behavioral health career pathway and it implementation. Pursuant to the relief authorized by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, for the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act, appropriates the following amounts from the behavioral and mental health cash fund for the purposes of the act: $36,806,984 to the department for use by the BHA; $20,000,000 to the department of public health and environment for use by the primary care office to provide loan repayment and scholarships for behavioral health-care providers and candidates for licensure who are participating in the Colorado health service corps; and $15,193,018 to the department of higher education.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sponsored bills
The act instructs the commissioner of agriculture (commissioner) to create and deploy, on or before January 1, 2024, an online program that educates agricultural producers about blockchain technology. The commissioner will consult and cooperate with stakeholders to develop the online program, publicize the program, and encourage agricultural producers to participate in the program. To implement the act, $72,768 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of agriculture for use by the agricultural markets division. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
For 4 income tax years beginning in 2022, the act creates a refundable income tax credit for an early childhood educator who: Has an adjusted gross income that is less than or equal to $75,000 for an individual filing a single return or $150,000 for an individual filing a joint return; Holds an early childhood professional credential for at least part of the income tax year; and For at least 6 months of the income tax year, is either the licensee or employee of an "eligible program", as defined by the act. The amount of the credit is dependent on the eligible early childhood educator's credentialing level, with higher levels receiving a larger credit, and is annually adjusted for inflation. The department of human services, or a successor department, is required to annually provide the department of revenue with an electronic report of each individual who held an early childhood professional credential during the previous calendar year for which the credit is allowed. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates certain rights for foster parents. The rights do not apply to a foster parent who jeopardizes the safety of a child or youth or a foster parent against whom criminal charges have been filed for child abuse, a sexual offense, or any felony. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill creates the Colorado critical infrastructure resiliency initiative and the Colorado resilient infrastructure board (board). The board consists of 10 members, 9 of whom are appointed by the executive director of the department of public safety. The board is required to: Provide oversight of Colorado's infrastructure enhancement program; Identify electric grid, water, oil and natural gas, and telecommunications infrastructure needs and provide recommendations on infrastructure improvements; Oversee efforts to prevent or reduce the severity of damage to the electric grid due to a natural disaster or human-caused emergency; Monitor and implement best practices for critical infrastructure protection; Ensure compliance of the state's publicly owned or commercially owned utilities associated with the state's power, oil and natural gas, water, and telecommunications sectors; Attempt to secure funding from various sources; Coordinate with the Colorado electric transmission authority; and Assess the capacity and availability of existing resources for resiliency of critical infrastructure sectors. The board is required to report its findings to the general assembly no later than 30 days after the general assembly convenes in the 2025 legislative session and no later than 30 days after the general assembly convenes in the regular legislative session in subsequent years. The board is scheduled to repeal on September 1, 2027. Before the repeal, the board is subject to sunset review by the department of regulatory agencies. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current law requires the appointment of a guardian ad litem for children or youth in dependency and neglect cases. The act requires that client-directed counsel for youth be appointed for children or youth 12 years of age or older to provide specialized client-directed legal representation. The act prohibits the waiver of a child's or youth's right to counsel in dependency and neglect proceedings. The act also allows a child or youth to be a party in a dependency and neglect proceeding. For a child or youth 12 years of age or older with diminished capacity, a guardian ad litem shall remain in the role and separate counsel for the child or youth must be appointed. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act updates and clarifies language related to the foster youth in transition program (program), including: Defining "dependent on the court" as being under the juvenile court's jurisdiction; Directing the court to advise the juvenile of specific services; Repealing certain provisions related to continuing jurisdiction of the court; Adding provisions to the program for juveniles or youths who were in a dependency and neglect case or other case pursuant to the Children's Code; Updating and specifying the form and content of the petition for the program; and Adding language and requirements concerning the initial hearing related to the program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)