(1) In order
to receive a grant, an eligible entity must offer a monetary contribution or in-kind
contributions, as described in subsection (4) of this section, that directly support
the services provided with a grant award and must submit an application to the
BHA. Two or more eligible entities may collaborate on a program and submit a joint
application. At a minimum, an application must include:
(a) The requested amount of the grant award and a description of the
program that will be operated with the grant award, including a description of how
the proposed program meets the purposes of the grant program described in
section 27-60-402 (1);
(b) The source of the contributing funds or in-kind contributing resources
provided by the applicant, as described in subsection (4) of this section;
(c) Whether the program plans to use the 988 crisis hotline defined in
section 27-64-102 as a part of the program;
(d) Information about the applicant's ability and intent to sustain the services
provided with a grant award beyond the duration of the grant, if applicable;
(e) A description of any agreements or partnerships necessary to carry out
the grant activities and how grant money will be allocated among partners, if
needed to perform activities in the application;
(f) Data documenting the need for the project, including the projected
demographic information of clients to be served, including age, race, ethnicity,
gender, and any other relevant demographic information;
(g) Projected outcomes, specific performance measures, and data collection
methods necessary for the grantee and the BHA to assess the impact of the
proposed program;
(h) A description of the applicant's experience in providing culturally
competent and gender responsive services, and whether the applicant is
representative of the individuals the applicant seeks to serve with a grant;
(i) A description of how the program would add value to existing local efforts
in the program area, if any, that align with the purposes of this grant program
described in section 27-60-402 (1);
(j) A commitment that all services will be provided on a voluntary basis and
that the applicant will not require warrant checks or fingerprinting to receive
services;
(k) If the applicant is a local government or federally recognized Indian tribe
applying for a grant for a capital expenditure, the applicant must demonstrate
collaboration with community-based organizations or nonprofit hospitals that are
providing treatment and services described in subsection (3) of this section in
association with the capital expenditure;
(l) If the applicant is a law enforcement agency, the applicant must
demonstrate compliance with the reporting requirements described in section 24-31-903 (2); and
(m) Any other information required by the BHA.
(2) (a) There is created in the BHA an early intervention, deflection, and
redirection from the criminal justice system grant review committee to review grant
applications and make recommendations to the BHA and department of public
safety. The commissioner of the BHA shall ensure that the composition of the
review committee is racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse and
representative of communities most impacted by the criminal justice system. The
review committee consists of the following members:
(I) The commissioner of the BHA or the commissioner's designee;
(II) The director of the division of criminal justice or the director's designee;
(III) The following individuals appointed by the commissioner of the BHA, in
consultation with the director of the division of criminal justice within the
department of public safety:
(A) Two clinicians with experience providing behavioral health treatment
services to individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice system, one of
whom must specialize in substance abuse disorder treatment, who also have
experience providing culturally responsive treatment in communities of color and
other underserved populations;
(B) Two representatives of organizations with experience awarding grants in
behavioral health fields;
(C) A researcher from an institution of higher education with a background in
effective interventions that prevent or redirect people with a behavioral health
disorder from being involved with the criminal justice system;
(D) A person who was impacted by the criminal justice system, either
personally or through a family member, and the person or the family member had
behavioral health needs while involved in the criminal justice system;
(E) A victim's advocate with experience in providing culturally responsive
services in communities of color, or a representative from a community-based
victim services organization that specializes in serving victims of color;
(F) A representative of a federally recognized Indian tribe with jurisdiction in
Colorado;
(G) A member of law enforcement that has participated in co-responder
community response, as defined in section 24-32-3501 (8);
(H) A public defender or private criminal defense attorney with experience
representing people with a behavioral health disorder; and
(I) A prosecutor with experience operating a diversion program specifically
for individuals with a behavioral health disorder.
(b) Members of the review committee serve without compensation and
without reimbursement for expenses. Members of the review committee shall
disclose any conflicts of interest, including whether the member represents an
organization that may seek a grant from the grant program.
(c) The review committee shall review applications for grants submitted
pursuant to this section and make recommendations to the BHA and department of
public safety about which applicants should receive grants and the amount of each
grant.
(3) After receiving and reviewing recommendations from the review
committee and after consultation with the department of public safety, the BHA
shall award grants. In addition to considering the recommendations of the review
committee and after considering the information included in the grant application,
when awarding grants, the BHA shall ensure that:
(a) The proposed program fills an existing gap in behavioral health response,
as identified in the application, in the program service area and would meet the
needs of the identified target population served by the program; and
(b) Any direct services provided through the program will use evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions that align with trauma-informed and
harm reduction principles.
(4) The BHA shall only award grants to applicants that offer a monetary
contribution or in-kind contributions that directly support the services provided with
a grant award. In determining the amount of contributing resources required for an
applicant, the BHA shall consider the size of the applicant organization, including
available staff and annual operating budget. The BHA may waive the contributing
resources requirement for an applicant that is requesting a grant award of less than
fifty thousand dollars.
(5) (a) A grant recipient must spend or obligate any grant money in
accordance with section 24-75-226 (4)(d).
(b) A grant recipient may use no more than ten percent of a grant award for
administrative costs associated with receipt of the grant award.