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 4 - EARLY INTERVENTION, DEFLECTION, AND REDIRECTION FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM GRANT PROGRAM (§§ 27-60-401 — 27-60-406) › Section 27-60-403 - Grant program application - criteria - award - rules

(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.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 303,§ 69, eff. 8/7/2023.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 271, § 20, eff. 5/27/2022.
Added by 2022 Ch. 193, § 2, eff. 5/19/2022.
2023 Ch. 303, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).