Colorado § 26.5-3-702 - Early childhood mental health consultation - statewide program - creation - purpose - rules.

§ 26.5-3-702. Early childhood mental health consultation - statewide program - creation - purpose - rules.

(1) (a) On or before July 1, 2022, the department shall design, implement, and operate the statewide voluntary program of early childhood mental health consultation to expand and enhance current practices across the state. The department, through the program, shall support mental health in a variety of settings, including but not limited to early child care and learning, elementary schools, home visitation, child welfare, public health, and health care, including settings providing prenatal and postpartum care.

(b) In designing and developing the program, the department shall work in consultation with the national center of excellence for infant and early childhood mental health consultation funded by the United States department of health and human services; nationally recognized entities that support implementation of sustainable systems or programs that focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children; and key stakeholders in the state, including mental health professionals, nonprofit organizations with expertise in mental health, organizations representing parents of children who would benefit from early childhood mental health consultation, hospitals and other health-care provider organizations with expertise working with children facing behavioral health and other challenges to optimal growth and development, early child care and education providers, and clinicians with expertise in infant and early childhood mental health.

(c) The department shall coordinate with community-based organizations to ensure the effective implementation of the program and model of consultation established pursuant to section 26.5-3-703, as well as support the availability of resources across the state to support the program and the mental health consultants in the program in their work.

(d) The executive director may promulgate rules for the design, implementation, and operation of the program.

(2) The purpose of the program is to:

(a) Increase the number of qualified and appropriately trained mental health consultants throughout the state who will consult with professionals working with children across a diversity of settings, as well as other adults, including family members, who directly interact with and care for children;

(b) Support and provide guidance and training, through visits with mental health consultants in the program, to families, expecting families, caregivers, and providers across diverse settings in addressing the healthy social-emotional developmental needs of children and families during the prenatal period through six years old;

(c) Develop a defined model of consultation that is rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion for the state pursuant to section 26.5-3-703 that includes qualifications and competencies for mental health consultants, job expectations, expected outcomes, and guidance on ratios between mental health consultants in the program and the settings they support; and

(d) Develop and maintain a statewide professional development plan pursuant to section 26.5-3-704 that assists the mental health consultants in meeting the expectations and developing the competencies set forth in the model of consultation established pursuant to section 26.5-3-703.

(3) Nothing in this part 7 creates or expands the regulatory authority of the department over mental health professionals who are not funded by appropriations made to the department for the program pursuant to this part 7.

Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 639, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2026: (2)(b) amended, (HB 26-1259), ch. 119, p. 505, § 5, effective May 5.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 26-6.5-402 as it existed prior to 2022.