Colorado § 12-295-109 - Approved psychiatric technician education program.

§ 12-295-109. Approved psychiatric technician education program.

(1) (a) Any institution within the state of Colorado desiring to conduct an approved preservice psychiatric technician education program may apply to the board and submit evidence that it is prepared to carry out a psychiatric technician curriculum that contains theoretical content and clinical practice to prepare the psychiatric technician student to care for clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities or behavioral or mental health disorders in institutional and community settings.

(b) Content in a psychiatric technician education program must include but is not limited to:

(I) Fundamental nursing principles and skills;

(II) Growth and developmental and other physical and behavioral skills;

(III) Intellectual and developmental disabilities theory and rehabilitation nursing principles and skills if the technician is to be licensed to care for clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and

(IV) Psychopathology and psychiatric nursing principles and skills if the technician is to be licensed to care for clients with behavioral or mental health disorders.

(2) A survey of the institution and its entire psychiatric technician education program shall be made by the executive secretary or other authorized board employee. The survey may be conducted in conjunction with an authorized consultant appointed by the board. The persons making the survey shall submit a written report of the survey to the board. One or more board members may participate in any survey.

(3) If the requirements of this article 295 for an approved psychiatric technician education program are met, the board must approve the institution as a psychiatric technician educational program for psychiatric technicians for work with patients with mental health disorders or intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the approval is valid for so long as the institution meets the requirements of this article 295.

(4) The board shall examine, from time to time, the approved psychiatric technician education programs of all institutions in the state with approved programs. The executive secretary or other authorized representative of the board shall conduct the examinations and submit the examination results to the board in the form of written reports. If the board determines that an institution with an approved psychiatric technician education program is not maintaining the standards required by this article 295, the board shall serve notice of its determination in writing, specifying the defect, on the institution by email or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested. If the institution receiving the notice fails, within one year after mailing or emailing the notice, to correct the conditions complained of in the notice, the board shall revoke the institution's authority to conduct an approved psychiatric technician education program. An institution has the right, at any time before the expiration of one year from the date it receives the notice, to demand and be granted a hearing before the board. In case of a demand, the board shall not take action until after the hearing. If the board sends the notice through email, the board shall request that the institution confirm receipt of the email within seven calendar days. If the institution does not confirm receipt of the email within seven calendar days, the board shall send the notice through first-class United States mail.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1572, § 1, effective October 1; (1)(a), (3), and (4) amended, (SB 19-154), ch. 169, p. 1976, § 15, effective October 1. L. 2026: (4) amended, (HB 26-1324), ch. 328, p. 1911, § 21, effective August 12.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former § 12-42-111 as it existed prior to 2019.

(2) Before its relocation in 2019, this section was amended in SB 19-154. Those amendments were superseded by the repeal and reenactment of this title 12, effective October 1, 2019. For those amendments to the former section in effect from July 1, 2019, to October 1, 2019, see SB 19-154, chapter 169, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.