CO Code § 29-11-203 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 29 - Government - Local|Article 11 - Emergency Telephone and Nonemergency Referral Services|Part 2 - Human Services Referral Service|§ 29-11-203. Human Services Referral Service - Immunity - Grant - Report - Repeal

  The Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative, human services referral service provider, or employee, agent, or financial supporter thereof is not liable to any person or entity for any damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to person or property incurred as a result of any act or omission of the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative, human services referral service provider, or any employee or agent thereof in connection with developing, adopting, authorizing, implementing, maintaining, enhancing, or operating a referral service unless such damage or injury was intentionally caused by or resulted from gross negligence of the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative, human services referral service provider, employee, agent, or financial supporter in connection with the provision of human services referral service.    The Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative, human services referral service provider, or employee, agent, or financial supporter thereof is not liable to any person or entity for infringement or invasion of the right of privacy of any person caused or claimed to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by any act or omission in connection with the provision of human service referral information to any person or entity unless the infringement or invasion of the right of privacy arose out of the gross negligence or other wrongful and intentional act of the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative, human services referral service provider, employee, agent, or financial supporter thereof.        The Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative shall provide necessary human services referral services in the state through December 31, 2021, relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency, including information on COVID-19 test site locations and referrals regarding equity, access, or discrimination concerning employment and health access, as well as other necessary referrals and intake services due to the presence of COVID-19 in the state. (a) (I)The Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative shall provide necessary human services referral services in the state through December 31, 2021, relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency, including information on COVID-19 test site locations and referrals regarding equity, access, or discrimination concerning employment and health access, as well as other necessary referrals and intake services due to the presence of COVID-19 in the state.    In addition, the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative shall provide necessary referrals for behavioral health services as defined in section 2-4-401 and provide assistance for other resources in the state to support Coloradans, particularly individuals who are unemployed, regardless of whether they receive benefits.    (A) The office of behavioral health shall contract with the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative to ensure specialized personnel are hired, trained, and can assist Coloradans to access the necessary referrals for behavioral health services and provide assistance for other resources, such as access to housing and food. Specialized personnel must include bilingual or multilingual speakers to ensure traditionally underserved communities can access the necessary referrals for behavioral health services and other resources.    (A) The Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative shall coordinate with the department of labor and employment to target, conduct outreach, and market to individuals who are unemployed, regardless of whether they receive benefits, and may need referrals for behavioral health services and other resources.       The general assembly shall appropriate from the cares subfund in the general fund to the department five hundred thousand dollars for a grant to the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative to provide necessary referral and intake services due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, as described in subsection (3)(a) of this section, incurred through December 31, 2021.  (b.5) The general assembly shall appropriate from the general fund to the department one million dollars for the purposes described in subsection (3)(a) of this section, including a grant to the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative to serve as a resource and provide the necessary referrals for behavioral health services and other services due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.     This subsection (3) is repealed, effective July 1, 2022. (3.2)   During the 2023 legislative session, the department shall include in its report to the committees of reference pursuant to the “State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act” hearing required by section 2-7-203 information from the office of behavioral health regarding its contract with the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section prior to its repeal in 2022, and the impact of the statewide communication system on behavioral health referrals and access to behavioral health services and other resources.    This subsection (3.2) is repealed, effective July 1, 2023.           History. Source: L. 2004: Entire part added, p. 13, § 1, effective February 20. L. 2020: Entire part amended,(HB 20-1197), ch. 114, p. 476, § 2, effective June 22. L. 2021: (3) amended,(SB 21-178), ch. 134, p. 547, § 5, effective May 13; (3)(a) and (3)(c) amended and (3)(b.5) and (3.2) added,(SB 21-239), ch. 266, p. 1546, § 2, effective June 18.    Editor's note:    Subsection (3)(c) provided for the repeal of subsection (3), effective July 1, 2021. (SeeL. 2020, p. 476.)    Amendments to subsection (3), by SB 21-178 and SB 21-239 were harmonized.     Cross references:   For the legislative declaration in SB 21-178, see section 1 of chapter 134, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.