Colorado § 26-6-923 - Residential child care provider training academy - clinical quality and oversight - report - rules - definition.

§ 26-6-923. Residential child care provider training academy - clinical quality and oversight - report - rules - definition.

(1) The residential child care provider training academy is created in the state department to facilitate a pipeline of high-quality staff for residential child care providers and ensure that individuals hired to work at residential child care facilities receive the necessary training to perform the individual's job functions responsibly and effectively.

(2) On or before September 15, 2025, the state department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the academy. At a minimum, the rules must include:

(a) Identification of specific residential child care provider types that are required to utilize the academy;

(b) Identification of specific residential provider staff members who are required to obtain academy training;

(c) Establishment of minimum standards of competence that a staff member shall demonstrate prior to receiving academy certification;

(d) Identification of the means by which a staff member may demonstrate the minimum standards of competence required pursuant to subsection (2)(c) of this section; and

(e) Identification of training curricula, which must include cultural competency for providers.

(3) No later than July 1, 2025, the state department shall develop a system to establish and monitor quality standards for residential child care providers, including clinical care for children and youth in residential treatment settings, and ensure the quality standards are implemented into all levels of care that serve children and youth in out-of-home placement.

(4) No later than July 1, 2026, the state department shall develop a system to incentivize residential child care providers to implement quality standards above the minimum standards established by the state department pursuant to subsection (3) of this section.

(5) No later than July 1, 2026, the state department shall make publicly available on the state department's website a directory of each residential child care provider's quality assurance.

(6) (a) No later than January 1, 2025, the state department shall collect data from residential child care providers on the reasons providers deny, or are unable to provide, residential child care services to children and youth.

(b) Upon implementation of the behavioral health capacity tracking system created pursuant to section 27-60-104.5, the behavioral health administration shall provide to the house of representatives health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or their successor committees, a report on residential child care provider denials of care.

(7) No later than July 1, 2026, and each July thereafter, the state department shall submit an annual report to the house of representatives health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or their successor committees, on the implementation of quality standards developed pursuant to subsection (3) of this section.

(8) Each local education provider is responsible for ensuring a child residing within its district receives free and appropriate public education that is consistent with all applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations.

(9) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Academy" means the residential child care provider training academy created in subsection (1) of this section.

(b) "Child or youth" means an individual who is less than twenty-one years of age.

Source: L. 2024: Entire section added, (HB 24-1038), ch. 459, p. 3178, § 2, effective June 6. L. 2026: (6)(b) and (7) amended, (SB 26-169), ch. 311, p. 1811, § 52, effective August 12.