Colorado § 26.5-3-704 - Statewide professional development plan for early childhood mental health consultants.

§ 26.5-3-704. Statewide professional development plan for early childhood mental health consultants.

(1) On or before July 1, 2022, the department shall develop a statewide professional development plan to support mental health consultants in the program in meeting the expectations set forth in the model of consultation described in section 26.5-3-703, referred to in this section as "the plan". In developing the plan, the department shall work collaboratively, to the extent practicable, 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. The department may implement the plan in partnership with nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and credentialing programs focused on infant and early childhood mental health.

(2) The plan must include, at a minimum, training related to:

(a) Trauma and trauma-informed practices and interventions;

(b) Adverse childhood experiences;

(c) The science of resilience and interventions to promote resilience;

(d) Child development through six years old;

(e) Caregiver substance use and effective family interventions;

(f) Impact of inequity and bias on children, families, caregivers, mental health consultants, and providers, and strategies to mitigate such impact;

(g) Sensory processing issues;

(h) The needs of children with developmental delays and disabilities, including children born prematurely or with special health-care needs, and special education law;

(i) Colorado's child protection and foster care system;

(j) Occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, and mental health therapy;

(k) Other public and private supports and services;

(l) Early childhood social-emotional development and family systems;

(m) Early childhood mental health diagnosis and effective treatment models; and

(n) Consultation as a model of adult learning.

(3) The plan must also:

(a) Allow mental health consultants in the program to access regionally appropriate and culturally responsive programs to best link them to the children and families in their communities and their unique needs;

(b) Include strategies for mental health consultants in the program to establish individualized coaching as requested by teachers, caregivers, and families; and

(c) Provide opportunities for regular support meetings between mental health consultants in the program; supervisors, including reflective supervisors; and peer mental health consultants. The support meetings must include reflections on the practice impact of attitudes and values.

Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 642, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2026: (2)(d) amended, (HB 26-1259), ch. 119, p. 506, § 7, effective May 5.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 26-6.5-404 as it existed prior to 2022.