220B0150606AD1508725874B005536DE Hearing Summary

Chair Benavidez opened the committee discussion to bill draft requests. 

Dr. David Iverson, task force chair, discussed mental health holds and previous recommendations by the Mental Health Holds subcommittee.  The Chair suggested drafting a letter to the Office of Behavioral Health regarding regulatory changes.  Dr. Iverson answered questions about Medicaid coding issue and mental health clinics and decided no legislative action would be necessary at this time.

Committee members discussed the definition of gravely disabled and its application to mental health holds.   Further discussion ensued about mental health holds and data collection.  Treatment, in-patient beds, and civil liberties were also topics that the committee considered.

The committee discussed legislative proposals from the housing subcommittee of the task force.  Committee members raised concerns that the housing recommendations overlapped with the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force and encouraged the subcommittee to share their ideas with them. 

The conversation turned to the recommendations offered by the data and information sharing subcommittee.  Committee members expressed interest in the recommendation concerning vital records sharing in an effort to learn more information about mental health holds outcomes, among other things. 

The committee agreed that the probationer and parolee medical marijuana potency cap recommendation by this subcommittee was outside the scope of the committee, in addition to regulation concerns.

Committee members revisited the MHDCJS committee and task force reauthorization bill from 2020.  The Chair requested a bill draft to address some of the issue in the bill that were sidetracked because of the pandemic. 

Committee members expressed interest in drafting bills that encompassed the policy recommendations brought forth by Ms. Snyder earlier in the committee hearing regarding incompentent to proceed and NGRI. 

Committee members agreed to request a bill draft to extend the mental health diversion program and align it with other adult diversion programs.  This was discussed at the September 1 meeting of the Legislative Oversight Committee by Kara Martin from the State Court Administrator's Office. 

The committee revisted the definition of gravely disabled and requested a bill draft that expands the definition to include "harm to others." 

The committee discussed mental health bed capacity in Ft. Logan and other places across the state.  Committee members noted that the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force is reviewing that issue. 

Committee members discussed a bill draft request for alternative diversion programs, such as a triage or crisis care center and stressed its application in a rural area. 

Another bill draft request about community corrections reversion dollars was brought to the table.   These reversion dollars were originally one-time funds targeted for housing individuals released from correctional facilities.  Committee members suggested to dedicate these funds on an on-going basis to provide a more stable funding source.  

Committee members next discussed jail standards for mental health services and requested a bill draft request. 

Lastly, committee members discussed HB 20-1035, programs to develop housing support services and requested a bill to reintroduce it.  The bill would have empowered local communities to provide a broad array of services with community solicitation grants. 

Committee members formally voted on each bill draft request discussed.