2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 25.5 - HEALTH CARE POLICY AND FINANCING (§§ 25.5-1-101 — 25.5-11-101) › COLORADO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ACT (§§ 25.5-4-101 — 25.5-6-2001) › Article 4 - COLORADO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ACT - GENERAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (§§ 25.5-4-101 — 25.5-4-506) › Part 5 - STATE PLAN AMENDMENTS - WAIVER AUTHORITY (§§ 25.5-4-501 — 25.5-4-506) › Section 25.5-4-506 - [Effective 8/7/2024] Coverage for doula services - stakeholder process - federal authorization - scholarship program - training - report - definitions - repeal

(1)
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a)
"Doula" means a trained birth companion who provides personal, nonmedical support to pregnant and postpartum people and their families prior to childbirth, during labor and delivery, and during the postpartum period.
(b)
"Maternity advisory committee" means the committee facilitated by the state department composed predominantly of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color with maternity care experience as members.
(2)
No later than September 1, 2023, the state department shall initiate a stakeholder process to promote the expansion and utilization of doula services for pregnant and postpartum members in the state. In conducting the stakeholder process, the state department shall:
(a)
Design an outreach strategy that includes best practices in community engagement, including, but not limited to:
(I)
Engaging trusted community partners to support the work;
(II)
Reimbursement of participation costs for individuals who are not otherwise paid to participate;
(III)
Reimbursement of child care costs for individuals who participate; and
(IV)
Translation services and meeting times that allow diverse and inclusive participation;
(b)
Solicit feedback related to:
(I)
An approved doula certification process that incorporates national and local training programs;
(II)
A billing process for doula services;
(III)
Ways to recruit doulas and integrate them into hospital deliveries;
(IV)
Support needed to build and retain a doula workforce;
(V)
Community outreach to determine how to best promote doula services; and
(VI)
The doula scholarship program created in subsection (7) of this section.
(3)
Stakeholders must be diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, sexual orientation, and gender, and must represent other populations that experience greater health disparities and inequities. The state department may include the following in the stakeholder process:
(a)
Doulas and potential doulas who may serve members who include, but are not limited to, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, refugees, non-English speakers, people living in rural areas, and people who were recently incarcerated;
(b)
Individuals indirectly involved in the delivery of doula services, including, but not limited to, clinical providers, hospitals, managed care entities, and state partners, including, but not limited to, the department of public health and environment, department of human services, department of early childhood, and department of regulatory agencies;
(c)
Representatives from the division of insurance with subject matter expertise;
(d)
Representatives from the maternity advisory committee;
(e)
Consumer advocates; and
(f)
Experts on perinatal care and quality.
(4)
For state fiscal year 2024-25, the state department shall submit a report to the general assembly as part of the state department's "SMART Act" presentation required by section
2-7-203
. The report must include findings and recommendations from the stakeholder process as described in subsection (2) of this section. The state department shall work with the maternity advisory committee to create the report.
(5)
In carrying out the stakeholder process described in subsection (2) of this section, the state department is exempt from the "Procurement Code", articles
101
to
112
of title
24
.
(6)
Not later than July 1, 2024, the state department shall seek federal authorization to provide doula services for pregnant and postpartum people to improve health outcomes of pregnant and postpartum people who face a disproportionately greater risk of poor birth outcomes.
(7)
(a)
Not later than July 1, 2024, the state department shall create a doula scholarship program that grants funds to individuals without sufficient financial resources to complete doula training and certification programs necessary to provide doula services.
(b)
In designing the doula scholarship program, the state department shall solicit input from groups identified in subsection (3) of this section.
(c)
The state department shall define eligibility criteria for the doula scholarship program that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(I)
Proof of financial hardship;
(II)
Proof of state residency; and
(III)
A statement of intent to serve as a doula provider in Colorado for pregnant and postpartum members.
(d)
The state department shall define criteria for organizations to conduct training and certification programs for doulas that include, but are not limited to:
(I)
An approved certification process for doulas;
(II)
An equitable approach to doula recruitment and training; and
(III)
An approved budget to provide free training to attendees.
(e)
The state department may require individuals who receive scholarship money pursuant to the doula scholarship program described in this subsection (7) to submit to the state department, not later than six months after the individual's completion of doula training or certification, documentation that the individual is serving as a doula for members or is working toward enrollment as a doula for members. If an individual does not complete the documentation, the state department may seek repayment of the funds awarded to the individual through the doula scholarship program.
(f)
(I)
Any money appropriated to the doula scholarship program and not expended prior to July 1, 2024, is further appropriated to the state department through June 30, 2025, to be used for the same purpose.
(II)
This subsection (7)(f) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
(g)
Notwithstanding section
24-1-136 (11)(a)(I)
, the state department shall report annually beginning in 2025 to the general assembly as part of the state department's "SMART Act" presentation, as required by section
2-7-203
, on the utilization and outcomes of the doula scholarship program.
Amended by 2024 Ch. 152,§ 41, eff. 8/7/2024.
Added by 2023 Ch. 279,§ 2, eff. 5/30/2023.
2024 Ch. 152, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.