Colorado § 23-21-804 - Medication-assisted treatment expansion pilot program - created - pilot program location - eligible grant recipients - rules.

§ 23-21-804. Medication-assisted treatment expansion pilot program - created - pilot program location - eligible grant recipients - rules.

(1) (a) There is created the medication-assisted treatment expansion pilot program to provide grants to community agencies, office-based practices, behavioral health organizations, substance abuse treatment organizations, and pharmacies to enable:

(I) Nurse practitioners or physician assistants working in those settings to obtain training and ongoing support required under the federal act in order to prescribe buprenorphine and all other medications and therapies approved by the federal food and drug administration as part of medication-assisted treatment provided to individuals with an opioid use disorder;

(II) Those agencies, practices, and organizations to provide behavioral therapies and support in conjunction with medication-assisted treatment for individuals with an opioid use disorder; and

(III) Pharmacists authorized under a statewide drug therapy protocol pursuant to section 12-280-605, a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement pursuant to part 6 of article 280 of title 12, or otherwise authorized under law to prescribe, dispense, or administer medication-assisted treatment for individuals with an opioid use disorder.

(b) The MAT expansion pilot program is available to provide grants to community agencies, office-based practices, behavioral health organizations, substance abuse treatment organizations practicing or providing treatment in Pueblo county or Routt county, and, starting in the 2019-20 fiscal year, the San Luis valley and additional counties selected by the center for participation based on demonstrated need. The MAT expansion pilot program may also provide grants to pharmacies for the purposes allowed under the grant program once the conditions described in subsection (1)(a)(III) of this section are met.

(2) A grant recipient may use the money received through the pilot program for the following purposes:

(a) To enable nurse practitioners or physician assistants practicing or working in the grant recipient's setting in the pilot program area to obtain the training required to be a qualified nurse practitioner or physician assistant in order to prescribe buprenorphine and all other medications and therapies approved by the federal food and drug administration as part of medication-assisted treatment for individuals with opioid use disorders;

(b) To increase access to medication-assisted treatment for individuals with opioid use disorders in the pilot program area; and

(c) To obtain training for pharmacists to provide medication-assisted treatment services.

(3) The center shall administer the MAT expansion pilot program and, subject to available appropriations, shall award grants as provided in this part 8. Subject to available appropriations, grants shall be paid out of money annually appropriated for the pilot program as provided in section 23-21-808.

(4) The center shall implement the MAT expansion pilot program in accordance with this part 8 and shall develop, with assistance from and in coordination with the advisory board, pilot program guidelines and procedures as necessary to implement the pilot program, including guidelines and procedures specifying the time frames for applying for grants; the form of the pilot program grant application; the time frames for distributing grant money, technical assistance, and consultation to grant recipients; and evaluation of the pilot program.

Source: L. 2017: Entire part added, (SB 17-074), ch. 226, p. 873, § 1, effective May 22. L. 2019: (1)(b), (3), and (4) amended, (SB 19-001), ch. 173, p. 2004, § 3, effective May 14. L. 2024: (1) and (2) amended, (HB 24-1045), ch. 470, p. 3281, § 14, effective August 7.