Colorado § 25-1.5-112 - Colorado suicide prevention plan - established - goals - responsibilities - funding - definition.

§ 25-1.5-112. Colorado suicide prevention plan - established - goals - responsibilities - funding - definition.

(1) The Colorado suicide prevention plan, referred to in this section as the "Colorado plan", is created in the office of suicide prevention within the department. The goal and purpose of the Colorado plan is to reduce suicide rates and numbers in Colorado through system-level implementation of the Colorado plan in criminal justice and health-care systems, including mental and behavioral health systems, and to mitigate the after-effects of suicide attempts and suicide deaths.

(2) The suicide prevention commission, together with the office of suicide prevention, the behavioral health administration in the department of human services, the department, and the department of health care policy and financing, is strongly encouraged to collaborate with criminal justice and health-care systems, mental and behavioral health systems, primary care providers, physical and mental health clinics in educational institutions, behavioral health safety net providers, advocacy groups, emergency medical services professionals and responders, public and private insurers, hospital chaplains, and faith-based organizations to develop and implement:

(a) A plan to improve training to identify indicators of suicidal thoughts and behavior across criminal justice and health-care systems;

(b) A plan to improve training on:

(I) The provisions of the emergency procedures for a seventy-two-hour mental health hold pursuant to section 27-65-105, C.R.S.;

(I.5) Comprehensive suicide prevention, as that term is defined in subsection (7) of this section, for first and last responders, health-care providers, K-12 educators and students, and follow-up care for suicide attempt survivors treated in emergency departments;

(II) The provisions of the federal "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996", Pub.L. 104-191, as amended; and

(III) Other relevant patient privacy procedures; and

(c) Professional development resources and training opportunities regarding indicators of suicidal thoughts and behavior, risk assessment, management, and the after-effects of suicide attempts and suicide deaths, as developed in collaboration with the department of regulatory agencies, the department of corrections, and health-care and mental health professional boards and associations.

(3) As a demonstration of their commitment to patient safety, criminal justice and health-care systems, including mental and behavioral health systems, primary care providers, and hospitals throughout the state, are encouraged to contribute to and implement the Colorado plan.

(4) The following systems and organizations are encouraged to contribute to and implement the Colorado plan on or before July 1, 2019:

(a) Community mental health centers;

(b) Hospitals;

(c) The state crisis services system;

(d) Emergency medical services professionals and responders;

(e) Regional health and behavioral health systems;

(f) Substance use disorder treatment systems;

(g) Physical and mental health clinics in educational institutions;

(h) Criminal justice systems; and

(i) Advocacy groups, hospital chaplains, and faith-based organizations.

(5) The office of suicide prevention shall include a summary of the Colorado plan in a report submitted to the behavioral health administration in the department of human services, as well as the report submitted annually to the general assembly pursuant to section 25-1.5-101 (1)(w)(III)(A) and as part of its annual presentation to the general assembly pursuant to the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2.

(6) The department may accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and private sources for the direct and indirect costs associated with the development and implementation of the Colorado plan. The department shall transmit any gifts, grants, and donations it receives to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the suicide prevention coordination cash fund created in section 25-1.5-101 (1)(w)(II).

(7) As used in this section, the term "comprehensive suicide prevention" or "suicide prevention" includes the following components:

(a) Strategies or approaches that seek to prevent the onset of suicidal despair, commonly known as "suicide prevention";

(b) Public health intervention supports, including community training, workforce development, quality improvement and provision of technical assistance to support the adoption of best suicide attempt behavior intervention and postvention practices and policies; and

(c) Postvention responses to and support for individuals and communities affected by the aftermath of suicide attempts and suicide deaths.

Source: L. 2016: Entire section added, (SB 16-147), ch. 364, p. 1519, § 2, effective June 10. L. 2017: (4)(f) amended, (SB 17-242), ch. 263, p. 1323, § 186, effective May 25. L. 2021: (1) and (2)(c) amended and (2)(b)(I.5) and (7) added, (HB 21-1119), ch. 49, p. 210, § 6, effective September 7. L. 2022: IP(2) and (5) amended, (HB 22-1278), ch. 222, p. 1508, § 55, effective July 1; IP(2) amended, (HB 22-1278), ch. 222, p. 1592, § 227, effective July 1, 2024.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 17-242, see section 1 of chapter 263, Session Laws of Colorado 2017. For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1119, see section 1 of chapter 49, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.