Colorado § 27-64-103 - 988 crisis hotline enterprise - creation - powers and duties.

§ 27-64-103. 988 crisis hotline enterprise - creation - powers and duties.

(1) There is created in the behavioral health administration the 988 crisis hotline enterprise. The enterprise is and operates as a government-owned business within the BHA for the business purpose of imposing charges pursuant to subsections (4)(a) and (4)(b) of this section, and utilizing the charges' revenue to fund the 988 crisis hotline and provide crisis outreach, stabilization, and acute care to individuals calling the 988 crisis hotline. The enterprise is a type 1 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercises its power and performs its duties and functions under the BHA.

(2) The enterprise constitutes an enterprise for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution so long as it retains the authority to issue revenue bonds and receives less than ten percent of its total revenues in grants from all Colorado state and local governments combined. So long as it constitutes an enterprise pursuant to this subsection (2), the enterprise is not subject to section 20 of article X of the state constitution.

(3) The enterprise is governed by a board of directors appointed by the governor.

(4) The enterprise's primary powers and duties are to:

(a) Effective January 1, 2022, impose a 988 surcharge on service users, as defined in section 40-17.5-101 (13), in an amount to be established annually by the enterprise, in collaboration with the public utilities commission, but not to exceed thirty cents per month per 988 access connection, as defined in section 40-17.5-101 (2). On or before October 1, 2021, and on or before October 1 of each year thereafter, the enterprise, in collaboration with the public utilities commission, shall establish the amount of the surcharge for the next calendar year. The amount of the surcharge must be reasonably calculated based on the cost of the services received by telephone service users. The amount of the surcharge imposed per 988 access connection must be uniform, regardless of the technology used to provide the 988 access connection.

(b) Effective January 1, 2022, impose a prepaid wireless 988 charge on each retail transaction, as defined in section 40-17.5-101 (10), in an amount to be established annually by the enterprise, in collaboration with the public utilities commission, but not to exceed thirty cents per each retail transaction in which prepaid wireless service is purchased in Colorado. On or before October 1, 2021, and on or before October 1 of each year thereafter, the enterprise, in collaboration with the public utilities commission, shall establish the amount of the charge for the next calendar year. The amount of the charge must be reasonably calculated to meet the needs of the enterprise.

(c) As required by subsection (5) of this section, fund the 988 crisis hotline to provide intervention services and crisis care coordination to individuals calling the 988 crisis hotline;

(d) (I) Engage the services of third parties serving as crisis vendors to provide crisis outreach; stabilization, including, but not limited to, recovery support and mobile response units; acute care; and marketing for the 988 crisis hotline;

(II) Enter into any other contracts necessary for professional and technical assistance and advice and to supply other services related to the conduct of the affairs of the enterprise, without regard to the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24.

(III) The BHA shall provide office space and administrative staff to the enterprise pursuant to a contract entered into pursuant to subsection (4)(d)(II) of this section.

(e) By resolution, authorize and issue revenue bonds that are payable only from the money in the 988 crisis hotline cash fund created in section 27-64-104; and

(f) Adopt, amend, or repeal policies for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business consistent with this section.

(5) (a) On or before July 1, 2022, the enterprise shall fund a nonprofit organization to operate the 988 crisis hotline and provide intervention services and crisis care coordination to individuals calling the 988 crisis hotline from any jurisdiction within Colorado twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

(b) The nonprofit organization shall:

(I) Have an active agreement with the administrator of the national suicide prevention lifeline for participation within the network;

(II) Meet the national suicide prevention lifeline requirements and best practice guidelines for operational and clinical standards;

(III) Meet the national suicide prevention lifeline requirements for serving high-risk and specialized populations;

(IV) Deploy mobile response units and co-responder programs that are part of the behavioral health crisis response system, created pursuant to section 27-60-103, and coordinate access to crisis walk-in centers, as appropriate; and

(V) Provide follow-up services to individuals accessing the 988 crisis hotline.

(6) The enterprise shall collaborate with the national suicide prevention lifeline and the veterans crisis line for the purpose of ensuring consistent public messaging about the 988 crisis hotline center and available services.

(7) The enterprise shall consider funding to ensure that individuals calling or texting the legacy statewide telephone crisis lines are routed to the 988 crisis hotline.

(8) The enterprise is subject to the open meetings provisions of the "Colorado Sunshine Act of 1972", contained in part 4 of article 6 of title 24, and the "Colorado Open Records Act", part 2 of article 72 of title 24.

(9) For purposes of the "Colorado Open Records Act", part 2 of article 72 of title 24, and except as may otherwise be provided by federal law or regulation or state law, the records of the enterprise are public records, as defined in section 24-72-202 (6), regardless of whether the enterprise receives less than ten percent of its total annual revenue in grants, as defined in section 24-77-102 (7), from all Colorado state and local governments combined.

(10) The enterprise is a public entity for purposes of part 2 of article 57 of title 11.

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added, (SB 21-154), ch. 360, p. 2345, § 1, effective September 7. L. 2022: (1) and (4)(d)(III) amended, (HB 22-1278), ch. 222, p. 1536, § 112, effective July 1. L. 2023: (1) amended, (HB 23-1301), ch. 303, p. 1838, § 70, effective August 7. L. 2025: (4)(d)(I) and (7) amended, (SB 25-236), ch. 140, p. 530, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2026: (4)(b) amended, (HB 26-1115), ch. 17, p. 80, § 1, effective March 26.