Colorado § 13-95-106 - Bridges court liaisons - bridges wraparound care coordinators - duties and responsibilities.

§ 13-95-106. Bridges court liaisons - bridges wraparound care coordinators - duties and responsibilities.

(1) A bridges court liaison hired or contracted pursuant to this article 95 has the following duties and responsibilities:

(a) Conducting intake, screening, and assessment, with participants, for behavioral health history and needs and social determinants of health needs;

(b) Determining appropriate referral and treatment options, when necessary, and making direct connections to, and supporting engagement with, services for participants, including other criminal or juvenile justice diversion programs for individuals with behavioral health challenges, which may include alternatives to competency services, prosecution, and custody or confinement; if a participant is convicted, alternatives to sentences to confinement while promoting public safety; and other diversion-oriented programs, including problem-solving courts, competency dockets, treatment, sober or supportive housing, and peer mentor programs;

(c) Using the competency information from the statewide court data system, as updated pursuant to section 13-3-101 (17), to identify individuals who have not been appointed a bridges court liaison but for whom an appointment to the bridges court liaison program may be beneficial. If an individual is identified for whom services may be appropriate, the bridges court liaison may recommend to the judicial officer, defense attorney, and district attorney working on the case that a bridges court liaison be appointed for the individual.

(d) Addressing system gaps and barriers and promoting positive outcomes for participants in cases to which the bridges court liaison is assigned;

(e) Keeping judges; district attorneys or county attorneys, as applicable; and defense attorneys informed about available community-based behavioral health services for the participant in a case, and, if applicable, case planning for possible release from custody for a participant who has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation or receive competency restoration services pursuant to article 8.5 of title 16 and article 2.5 of title 19.

(f) Facilitating communication and collaboration between behavioral health systems and criminal justice entities;

(g) Providing information to criminal and juvenile justice personnel regarding behavioral health and community treatment options and bridges court liaison program best practices;

(h) Coordinating with service providers, including the office within a state department responsible for assisting civil and forensic mental health patients and jail-based behavioral health providers, to ensure continuity of care and service delivery in a manner that avoids duplication and bifurcation of services; and

(i) Following the policies, procedures, best practices, and guidance of the bridges court liaison program, as established by the office and commission.

(2) A bridges wraparound care coordinator hired or contracted pursuant to section 13-95-105 (2) has the duties and responsibilities described in section 16-8.6-106.

(3) A bridges court liaison hired or contracted pursuant to this article 95 and a bridges wraparound care coordinator hired or contracted pursuant to section 13-95-105 (2) shall:

(a) Keep judges, district attorneys, county attorneys, and defense attorneys informed about available community-based behavioral health services, including services for defendants who have been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation or receive competency restoration services pursuant to article 8.5 of title 16 and article 2.5 of title 19;

(b) Make efforts to connect participants to, and support engagement with, behavioral health services and services for social determinants of health and to promote positive outcomes for individuals living with behavioral health challenges, including:

(I) Mental health treatment and care;

(II) Treatment and care for mental disabilities;

(III) Substance use disorder intervention and recovery services;

(IV) Housing, including supportive housing;

(V) Transportation;

(VI) Basic needs assistance;

(VII) Employment assistance, if applicable; and

(VIII) Health insurance coverage, including medicare or medicaid eligibility and enrollment; and

(c) Make efforts to collaborate with service providers, including the office within a state department responsible for assisting civil and forensic mental health patients and jail-based behavioral health providers, to ensure continuity of care and service delivery in a manner that avoids duplication and bifurcation of services.

(4) If a court appoints a bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator for an individual, the statewide court data system must include a record of the appointment and actions related to the appointment on the individual's case records.

(5) A bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator appointed in a case is a resource for the court and the parties to the case. A bridges court liaison and a bridges wraparound care coordinator are not independent parties in a case, and a bridges court liaison shall not serve in a role intended to monitor compliance with a court order by a party or other individual associated with a case.

(6) The office may continue to serve a participant with a bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator for up to ninety days after final disposition of the case for which the bridges court liaison or bridges wraparound care coordinator was appointed.

Source: L. 2023: Entire article added, (SB 23-229), ch. 119, p. 439, § 1, effective April 27. L. 2024: Entire section amended, (HB 24-1355), ch. 471, p. 3309, § 7, effective August 7.

Editor's note: Subsections IP(1), (1)(a), (1)(c), (1)(f), (1)(h), and (2) are similar to former § 16-11.9-204 IP(1), (1)(b), IP(1)(c), (1)(d), (1)(e), and (2), respectively, as they existed prior to 2023.