Colorado § 22-96-103 - Behavioral health care professional matching grant program - created - rules.

§ 22-96-103. Behavioral health care professional matching grant program - created - rules.

(1) (a) There is created in the department the behavioral health care professional matching grant program to provide funding to education providers for the following purposes:

(I) To increase the presence of school health professionals in schools to provide behavioral health care to students who have mental health, substance use or misuse, or other behavioral health needs;

(II) To provide training and resources for school staff on the implementation of evidence-based programming on behavioral health education for all students;

(III) To allow school health professionals to connect students with services that are provided by community-based organizations for treatment and counseling for students who need behavioral health care; and

(IV) To provide behavioral health-care services at recipient schools, including but not limited to screenings, counseling, therapy, referrals to community organizations, and training for students and staff on behavioral health issues.

(b) An education provider that receives a grant under the program shall use the money to increase the level of funding the education provider allocates to school health professionals to provide behavioral health care to students prior to receiving the grant and not to replace other funding sources allocated to provide school health professionals for students. The education provider may use the money to contract with a community partner for behavioral health-care services, including hiring private health-care professionals, training, screening, and preventive supports. Additionally, the education provider may use the money to provide direct services or consultation by a school health professional through telehealth technology. The department shall administer the program as provided in this article 96 and pursuant to rules adopted by the state board.

(2) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., for implementation of the program, including but not limited to rules regarding:

(a) The timeline for submitting applications to the department;

(b) The form of the grant application and any information in addition to that specified in section 22-96-104 (2) to be included in the application;

(c) Any criteria for awarding grants in addition to those specified in section 22-96-104 (3); and

(d) Any information to be included in the department's program report in addition to that required in section 22-96-105.

Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (SB 14-215), ch. 352, p. 1605, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2017: (1) amended, (SB 17-068), ch. 138, p. 462, § 4, effective August 9. L. 2019: (1) amended, (SB 19-010), ch. 155, p. 1843, § 2, effective May 10. L. 2025: IP(1)(a) amended, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2049, § 89, effective August 6.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 17-068, see section 1 of chapter 138, Session Laws of Colorado 2017.