(1) There is
created in the department of public health and environment the Colorado child
abuse response and evaluation network to provide medical exams and behavioral
health assessments to children under six years of age for suspected cases of
physical or sexual abuse or neglect and children under thirteen years of age for
suspected sexual abuse. In implementing the CARENetwork, the department shall
coordinate with the department of human services, existing advisory committees,
and interested stakeholders to align the work of the CARENetwork with other state
and local efforts focused on preventing child abuse and neglect and addressing the
health and social needs of families at risk of experiencing child abuse or neglect.
(2) On or before November 1, 2019, the department shall award a contract to
a resource center to establish the CARENetwork. The resource center shall:
(a) Work to increase local capacity of health-care and behavioral health
providers to perform medical and behavioral health assessments for suspected
cases of physical or sexual abuse or neglect by using current or by building
appropriate infrastructure for and providing technical assistance to the
CARENetwork;
(b) Develop best practice standards across the state for the CARENetwork,
including a review of current national accreditation standards, for medical exams
and behavioral health assessments for children described in subsection (1) of this
section;
(c) Develop a streamlined medical and behavioral health referral process to
designated providers for children to receive appropriate care, including coordinated
hand-offs to available resources;
(d) Establish an efficient structure, considering geography and identified
community needs, to ensure a coordinated response to suspected cases of physical
or sexual abuse or neglect;
(e) Encourage participation and enhance the role of medical providers in
multidisciplinary teams in local communities to provide input for the CARENetwork;
(f) Collaborate with existing programs in local communities to provide
education and training, collaborative mentorship, and support for designated
providers serving children in their communities, including education and training
about risks and protective factors associated with child abuse and neglect and
resources for families to address their health and social needs;
(g) Collect and analyze data to identify and monitor outcomes of the
CARENetwork and to guide ongoing program analyses, resulting in the
development of best practices that encourage continuous improvement and fidelity
of the CARENetwork's standard of care; and
(h) Report annually to the executive directors of the department and the
department of human services on activities of the CARENetwork.
(3) Nothing in this section supersedes the authority of the department of
human services or a county department of human or social services to receive
reports and coordinate the official investigation and response to reports of child
abuse or neglect. Nothing in the section relieves the participants in the
CARENetwork from mandated reporting requirements pursuant to section 19-3-304.
Source: L. 2019: Entire part added, (HB 19-1133), ch. 259, p. 2471, � 2,
effective May 23.
PART 10
MAKING OPIOID ANTAGONISTS AVAILABLE
25-20.5-1001. Making opioid antagonists available - bulk purchasing -
immunity. (1) A person that is not a private entity and that makes a defibrillator or
AED, as defined in section 13-21-108.1, available to aid the general public may also
make available an opioid antagonist to aid an individual believed to be suffering an
opioid-related drug overdose event or to an individual who is in a position to assist
the individual at risk of experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose event.
(2) A person making an opioid antagonist available in accordance with
subsection (1) of this section is eligible to purchase opioid antagonists from the
department in accordance with section 25-1.5-115.
(3) A person who acts in good faith to furnish or administer an opioid
antagonist to an individual the person believes to be suffering an opioid-related
drug overdose event or to an individual who is in a position to assist the individual at
risk of experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose event is not subject to civil
liability or criminal prosecution, as specified in sections 13-21-108.7 (3) and 18-1-712
(2), respectively.
(4) This section does not apply to an elementary or secondary public or
nonpublic school.
Source: L. 2019: Entire part added, (SB 19-227), ch. 273, p. 2582, � 12,
effective May 23. L. 2024: (1), (2), and (3) amended, (HB 24-1037), ch. 458, p. 3172, �
21, effective June 6.
PART 11
HARM REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM
25-20.5-1101. Harm reduction grant program - creation - application -
permissible uses - department duties. (1) Subject to available appropriations, the
department shall develop and implement a harm reduction grant program, referred
to in this section as the grant program, to prevent overdose deaths and reduce
health risks associated with drug use. The department may contract with an
independent entity for the administration of the grant program.
(2) (a) To be eligible to receive grant funding pursuant to this part 11, an
entity must be:
(I) A nonprofit organization that is in good standing and registered with the
federal internal revenue service and the Colorado secretary of state's office;
(II) A local public health agency established pursuant to section 25-1-506;
(III) A tribal agency or program;
(IV) A federally qualified health center, as defined in the federal Social
Security Act, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1395x (aa)(4);
(V) A rural health clinic, as defined in the federal Social Security Act, 42
U.S.C. sec. 1395x (aa)(2);
(VI) A behavioral health entity, as defined in section 25-27.6-102 (6); or
(VII) A law enforcement agency.
(b) An eligible entity may submit a proposal on behalf of a group of eligible
entities, and apportion grant funds accordingly, to foster community collaboration
and collective impact.
(c) Grantees must be willing to provide services to individuals who may not
be ready to seek addiction treatment services or who are in recovery.
(3) On or before November 1, 2019, the department shall develop:
(a) Eligibility criteria for the entities described in subsection (2) of this
section;
(b) The grant application process and schedule;
(c) A process for determining the amount of each grant that is awarded; and
(d) The performance metrics and data collection required of grantees.
(4) Permissible uses of funding provided pursuant to this grant program
include general operating expenses and direct and indirect project costs including,
but not limited to:
(a) Trainings relevant to the field of harm reduction that may include
overdose prevention, safer substance use practices, safe disposal, and access to
and administration of opiate antagonists and non-laboratory synthetic opiate
detection tests;
(b) Purchasing and providing sterile equipment, non-laboratory synthetic
opiate detection tests, and syringe disposal equipment;
(c) Providing direct services to persons who have come into contact with or
who are at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system, which may
include accessing treatment and health-care services, overdose prevention
activities, and recovery support services;
(d) Outreach and engagement to people who come into contact with or who
are at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system and who are in
need of mental health or substance use disorder treatment, overdose prevention,
harm reduction, or recovery support services;
(e) Facilitating communication, training, and technical assistance among law
enforcement agencies, public health agencies, and community-based harm
reduction agencies in order to divert people from the criminal justice system;
(f) Auricular acudetox training and services;
(g) Public education and outreach about synthetic opiates, overdose risks,
and recognizing an overdose event; resources for addiction treatment and services;
access to and administration of opiate antagonists and non-laboratory synthetic
opiate detection tests; and laws regarding synthetic opiates, including criminal
penalties and immunity for reporting an overdose event pursuant to section 18-1-711;
(h) Local conventions for the purpose of developing community-based
approaches for overdose prevention, early intervention, and harm reduction
services;
(i) Developing, or expanding existing, community-based organizations that
provide overdose prevention, early intervention, and harm reduction services;
(j) Evidence-based research concerning best or promising practices in
overdose prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and medication-assisted
treatment protocols;
(k) Developing strategies for serving populations who are at a higher risk of
overdose and live in underserved areas; and
(l) Support for a liaison with experience collaborating with community-based
organizations and local public health agencies.
(5) The department shall not award any grant money in excess of the amount
in the harm reduction grant program cash fund created pursuant to section 25-20.5-1102.
Source: L. 2019: Entire part added, (SB 19-008), ch. 275, p. 2597, � 5,
effective August 2. L. 2022: (1), (2), (3)(a), and (4) amended, (HB 22-1326), ch. 225, p.
1647, � 24, effective July 1.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 22-1326 stating the
purpose of, and the provision directing legislative staff agencies to conduct, a post-enactment review pursuant to � 2-2-1201 scheduled in 2025, see sections 1 and 55
of chapter 225, Session Laws of Colorado 2022. To obtain a copy of the review,
once completed, go to Legislative Resources and Requirements on the Colorado
General Assembly's website.