Colorado Code § 27-50-101

Definitions
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
As used in this article 50, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Behavioral health" refers to an individual's mental and emotional well-being and
actions that affect an individual's overall wellness. Behavioral health issues and disorders
include substance use disorders, mental health disorders, serious psychological distress, serious
mental disturbance, and suicide and range from unhealthy stress or subclinical conditions to
diagnosable and treatable diseases. "Behavioral health" also describes service systems that
encompass promotion of emotional health and prevention and treatment services for mental
health disorders and substance use disorders.
(2) "Behavioral health administration" or "BHA" means the behavioral health
administration established in section 27-50-102.
(3) "Behavioral health disorder" means an alcohol use disorder, a mental health disorder,
or a substance use disorder.
(4) "Behavioral health entity" means a facility or provider organization engaged in
providing community-based health services, which may include services for a behavioral health
disorder but does not include detention and commitment facilities operated by the division of
youth services within the department of human services or services provided by a licensed or
certified mental health-care provider under the provider's individual professional practice act on
the provider's own premises.
(5) "Behavioral health program" means the specific services and administration of those
services by a behavioral health provider.
(6) "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 providing 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.
(7) "Behavioral health safety net provider" means comprehensive community behavioral
health providers and essential behavioral health safety net providers. A community mental health
center pursuant to 42 U.S.C. sec. 300x-2(c) that is licensed as a behavioral health entity may
apply to be approved as a comprehensive community behavioral health provider, an essential
behavioral health safety net provider, or both.
(8) "Behavioral health safety net services" means the specific behavioral health services
for children, youth, and adults that must be provided statewide pursuant to part 3 of this article
50.
(8.5) "Boarding" means when a child or youth under twenty-one years of age has been
waiting longer than twelve hours to be placed in an appropriate treatment setting after being
clinically assessed and determined to be in need of inpatient psychiatric treatment and received a
determination from a licensed provider of medical stability without the need for urgent medical
assessment or hospitalization for a physical condition.
(9) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the behavioral health administration
appointed pursuant to section 27-50-103.
(10) "Community-based" means outside of a hospital, psychiatric hospital, detention and
commitment facility operated by the division of youth services within the department of human
services, or nursing home.
(11) "Comprehensive community behavioral health provider" means a licensed
behavioral health entity or behavioral health provider approved by the behavioral health
administration to provide care coordination and the following behavioral health safety net
services, either directly or through formal agreements with behavioral health providers in the
community or region:
(a) Emergency and crisis behavioral health services;
(b) Mental health and substance use outpatient services;
(c) Behavioral health high-intensity outpatient services;
(d) Care management;
(e) Outreach, education, and engagement services;
(f) Mental health and substance use recovery supports;
(g) Repealed.
(h) Outpatient competency restoration; and
(i) Screening, assessment, and diagnosis, including risk assessment, crisis planning, and
monitoring to key health indicators.
(11.5) "Covered entity" means an entity subject to HIPAA.
(12) "Department" means the department of human services created pursuant to section
26-1-105.
(13) "Essential behavioral health safety net provider" means a licensed behavioral health
entity or behavioral health provider approved by the behavioral health administration to provide
care coordination and at least one of the following behavioral health safety net services:
(a) Emergency or crisis behavioral health services;
(b) Behavioral health outpatient services;
(c) Behavioral health high-intensity outpatient services;
(d) Behavioral health residential services;
(e) Withdrawal management services;
(f) Behavioral health inpatient services;
(g) Integrated care services;
(h) Hospital alternatives; or
(i) Additional services that the behavioral health administration determines are necessary
in a region or throughout the state.
(13.5) "Extended stay" means when a child or youth under twenty-one years of age has
been waiting longer than seventy-two hours to be discharged from an acute level of inpatient
psychiatric care to a less intensive or less restrictive clinically appropriate level of psychiatric
care, including a discharge home or to a home-like setting with behavioral health supports.
(13.7) "Friends and family input form" means a form created pursuant to section 27-50-
110 to allow family and friends to provide health or background information about an individual
receiving mental health or substance use services.
(14) "Health information organization network" has the same meaning as defined in
section 25-3.5-103 (8.5).
(14.5) "HIPAA" means the federal "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996", 42 U.S.C. secs. 1320d to 1320d-9, as amended.
(15) "Mental health disorder" means one or more substantial disorders of the cognitive,
volitional, or emotional processes that grossly impairs judgment or capacity to recognize reality
or to control behavior.
(16) "Primary prevention" means activities and strategies used to intervene before health
effects occur through measures that prevent the onset of addiction, delay initial use of alcohol,
marijuana, and tobacco, deter the use of illegal drugs, and promote health and wellness.
(17) (a) "Priority populations" means people who are:
(I) Uninsured, underinsured, medicaid-eligible, publicly insured, or whose income is
below thresholds established by the BHA; and
(II) Presenting with acute or chronic behavioral health needs, including but not limited to
individuals who have been determined incompetent to stand trial, adults with serious mental
illness, and children and youth with serious emotional disturbance.
(b) The BHA shall further identify underserved populations meeting the criteria of
subsection (17)(a) of this section for specific prioritization on a regional or statewide basis based
on health equity data, including but not limited to people experiencing or at risk of
homelessness; children and youth at risk of out-of-home placement and their parents; people
involved with the criminal or juvenile justice system; people of color; American Indians; Alaska
natives; veterans; people who are pregnant; people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
or queer or questioning; and individuals with disabilities as defined by the federal "Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990", 42 U.S.C. sec. 12101 et seq., as amended. The BHA shall also
consider input directly from behavioral health providers that are culturally and linguistically
representative of the populations they serve. The BHA shall consider recommendations from the
behavioral health administrative services organizations, the advisory council, and regional
subcommittees in identifying subpopulations.
(18) (a) "State agency" means any state department, state office, or state division in
Colorado that administers a behavioral health program.
(b) "State agency" does not include the judicial branch of state government.
(19) "State board" means the state board of human services created pursuant to section
26-1-107.
(20) "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.
(21) "Substance use disorder program" means a program for the detoxification,
withdrawal, maintenance, or treatment of a person with a substance use disorder.

‹ Prev All Colorado sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.