A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning creating the military family behavioral health
Page 1, Line 102grant program.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates the military family behavioral health grant program in the behavioral health administration in the department of human services to provide grants to local nonprofit organizations to establish and expand community behavioral health programs that provide behavioral health services to service members, veterans, and family members of service members and veterans.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 27-50-806 as follows:
Page 2, Line 327-50-806. Military family behavioral health grant program
Page 2, Line 4- created - rules - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 5(a) "Armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Page 2, Line 6Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard of the United States.
Page 2, Line 7(b) "Eligible individual" means a service member, a veteran, or a family member of a service member or veteran.
Page 2, Line 8(c) "Grant program" means the military family behavioral
Page 2, Line 9health grant program created pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.
Page 2, Line 10(d) "Service member" means a person who is:
(I) An active-duty member of the armed forces;
Page 2, Line 11(II) A member of the reserve forces of the United States; or
Page 2, Line 12(III) A member of the federally recognized National Guard.
Page 2, Line 13(e) "Veteran" means a person who served in the armed
Page 2, Line 14forces, the federally recognized National Guard, or the
Page 2, Line 15reserve forces of the United States and who was discharged or released from service.
Page 2, Line 16(2) The military family behavioral health grant program
Page 2, Line 17is created in the behavioral health administration. The purpose
Page 3, Line 1of the grant program is to provide grants to local nonprofit
Page 3, Line 2organizations to establish and expand community behavioral
Page 3, Line 3health programs that provide behavioral health services to
Page 3, Line 4service members, veterans, and family members of service members and veterans.
Page 3, Line 5(3) The BHA shall administer the grant program and,
Page 3, Line 6subject to available appropriations, shall award grants for an
Page 3, Line 7initial period of one year. The BHA may extend a grant award
Page 3, Line 8for up to one year to allow for the full expenditure of the
Page 3, Line 9grant money, but the BHA shall not award any additional money during the extension period.
Page 3, Line 10(4) The BHA shall implement the grant program in
Page 3, Line 11accordance with this section. The BHA shall adopt rules necessary to implement the grant program.
Page 3, Line 12(5) (a) To receive a grant, a local nonprofit organization
Page 3, Line 13must submit an application to the BHA in accordance with rules
Page 3, Line 14adopted by the BHA. The BHA shall review the applications received pursuant to this subsection (5).
Page 3, Line 15(b) A local nonprofit organization shall demonstrate that the organization:
Page 3, Line 16(I) Serves the behavioral health needs of eligible
Page 3, Line 17individuals in the locality served by the local nonprofit organization;
Page 3, Line 18(II) Utilizes evidence-based practices;
Page 3, Line 19(III) Integrates military cultural competency training for their staff; and
Page 3, Line 20(IV) Connects eligible individuals to appropriate
Page 4, Line 1community-based care in a timely manner upon discharge from the local nonprofit organization.
Page 4, Line 2(c) The BHA shall prioritize a grant applicant that:
Page 4, Line 3(I) Applies for a grant to support the operating costs for
Page 4, Line 4a qualifying project, as determined by the BHA, for which capital investments have already been made;
Page 4, Line 5(II) Provides culturally competent behavioral health services to eligible individuals;
Page 4, Line 6(III) Has the ability to submit data that the BHA
Page 4, Line 7determines is necessary to measure the impact of the grant program; and
Page 4, Line 8(IV) Is located within fifty miles of a United States military installation located in Colorado.
Page 4, Line 9(6) Subject to available appropriations, the BHA shall award grants in accordance with the rules adopted by the BHA.
Page 4, Line 10SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-75-230, amend (3.5) as follows:
Page 4, Line 1124-75-230. Behavioral and mental health cash fund - creation
Page 4, Line 12- allowable uses - task force - definitions - repeal. (3.5) (a) The first
Page 4, Line 13
fivePage 4, Line 14transferred to the fund pursuant to section 39-37-301 (2)(a)(II) must be
Page 4, Line 15used by the behavioral health administration, established pursuant to
Page 4, Line 16section 27-50-102, in coordination with the division of veterans affairs,
Page 4, Line 17created in section 28-5-701 (1), for the purpose of continuing and
Page 4, Line 18expanding the veterans mental health services program in accordance with section 28-5-714.
Page 4, Line 19(b) After the requirement in subsection (3.5)(a) of this
Page 5, Line 1section is met, the next one million five hundred thousand
Page 5, Line 2dollars of the money transferred to the fund pursuant to
Page 5, Line 3section 39-37-301 (2)(a)(II) must be used by the behavioral health
Page 5, Line 4administration, established pursuant to section 27-50-102, for
Page 5, Line 5the military family behavioral health grant program created pursuant to section 27-50-806.
Page 5, Line 6SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 5, Line 7takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 5, Line 8ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 5, Line 9that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 5, Line 10of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 5, Line 11act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 5, Line 12effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 5, Line 13November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.