2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 27 - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (§§ 27-1-101 — 27-94-107) › BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (§§ 27-50-101 — 27-64.5-102) › Article 60 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 27-60-100.3 — 27-60-506) › Part 3 - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER WORKFORCE (§§ 27-60-301 — 27-60-305) › Section 27-60-301 - Definitions

As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1)
"Behavioral health administration" or "BHA" means the behavioral health administration established in section
27-60-203
.
(2)
"Behavioral health aide" or "aide" means an individual who:
(a)
Addresses mental health conditions and substance use disorders to promote healthy individuals, families, and communities;
(b)
Dependent on the level of certification of the individual, may act as a community educator and provide expanded services for more complex behavioral health needs; and
(c)
Is familiar with state and local resources and can provide referrals and other additional services.
(3)
"Behavioral health provider" means a recovery community organization as defined in section
27-80-126
, a recovery support services organization as defined in section
27-60-108
, or a licensed organization or professional that provides diagnostic, therapeutic, or psychological services for behavioral health conditions. Behavioral health providers include a residential child care facility, as defined in section
26-6-903 (29)
, and a federally qualified health center as defined in the federal "Social Security Act",
42 U.S.C. sec. 1395x (aa)(4)
.
(4)
"Community college" means a community college described in section
23-60-205
that is governed by the state board for community colleges and occupational education.
(5)
"Fund" means the behavioral and mental health cash fund created in section
24-75-230 (2)(a)
.
(6)
"Institution of higher education" means a local district college operating pursuant to article
71
of title
23
or an institution of higher education.
(7)
"Learning management system" means an online training curriculum developed for health-care providers in rural and metro areas pursuant to section
27-60-112 (2)(b)
to increase competencies in mental health and substance use disorders that will support a high-quality, trained, culturally responsive, and diverse behavioral health-care provider workforce.
(8)
"Peer support professional" has the same meaning as set forth in section
27-60-108 (2)(b)
.
(9)
"Plan" means the behavioral health-care provider workforce plan created by the BHA pursuant to section
27-60-302
.
(10)
"Priority populations" means:
(a)
People experiencing homelessness;
(b)
People involved with the criminal justice system;
(c)
People of color;
(d)
American Indians and Alaska natives;
(e)
Veterans;
(f)
People who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer or questioning;
(g)
Older adults;
(h)
Children and families; and
(i)
People with disabilities, including people who are deaf and hard of hearing, people who are blind or deafblind, people with brain injuries, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and people with other co-occurring disabilities.
(11)
"Substance use disorder" means a chronic relapsing brain disease, characterized by recurrent use of alcohol, drugs, or both, causing clinically significant impairment, including health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 303,§ 68, eff. 8/7/2023.
Added by 2022 Ch. 452, § 2, eff. 7/1/2022.
2023 Ch. 303, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).