Second Regular Session | 72nd General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyThis memorandum provides information on recent trends in Medicaid caseload growth and drivers of state Medicaid expenditures. Included in this memorandum is a ten-year history and three years of projections for Colorado Medicaid caseloads, government expenditures, and expenditures per Medicaid...
Colorado was tied for the fifth highest suicide rate in the nation in 2014, the most recent year of nationally available data. In 2015, there were 1,093 suicides among Colorado residents, which is the highest number of suicides in the state’s history. This issue brief outlines legislative...
Colorado currently administers 11 Home-and Community-Based Services Medicaid (HCBS) Waivers. This issue brief discusses the six waivers available to adults. An issue brief entitled Medicaid Waiver Programs Part I – Home- and Community-Based Services Medicaid Waivers for Children discusses the...
Colorado's Adult Protective Services (APS) system, first established in 1983, protects at-risk adults who, because of mental or physical ability, are unable to obtain services or otherwise protect their own health, safety, and welfare. In response to greater awareness of at-risk populations,...
In March 2010, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), was adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed by the President. PPACA expanded health care coverage by increasing access to private health insurance and expanding eligibility for Medicaid. The law also increased...
Health insurance is a method of paying for health care services that spreads the risk and costs across a group of covered persons. In exchange for premiums and other cost-sharing mechanisms, such as deductibles and co-payments, health insurance companies pay for the costs of covered services....
This memorandum discusses Colorado law on the subject of the expungement of juvenile delinquency records, including the offenses that may not be expunged, and provides information about sealing adult arrest records, criminal records other than convictions, and conviction records. Further...
Respite care provides temporary relief to a caregiver from the physical and emotional impacts of caring for a person with special needs who is unable or needs assistance to care for himself or herself. It can be provided for a few hours, overnight, or on an extended basis by a friend, family...
Federal and state laws allow Medicaid applicants and clients who have their benefits denied, terminated, or reduced to appeal the decision. This issue brief provides an overview of the Medicaid appeals process in Colorado.
The Public Benefits and Services Resource Manual is intended to serve as a reference guide for information on some of the state’s programs that provide direct benefits or services to members of the public. The manual is divided into four sections to make it easier for the reader to access...
Prior to being discharged from the state criminal justice system, adult offenders are released from prison for a period of parole. This issue brief summarizes recent state adult parole initiatives. These include the offender reentry programs authorized in House Bill 14-1355, and the “...
This issue brief provides information about Community-Centered Boards (CCBs) and recent legislation enacted to promote CCB transparency.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2015 Colorado ranked 21st in the nation for the number of identity theft victims, with 123.2 victims per 100,000 population. Identity theft is generally defined as the unlawful use of personal identifying or financial information of another person to...
This memorandum provides information regarding state laws penalizing those who misrepresent pets or other animals as service animals. Nine states have laws prohibiting the misrepresentation of pets, and nine states have laws prohibiting people from misrepresenting themselves as disabled in order...
This memorandum provides information on Colorado law related to nonfatal strangulation and information on the laws in states in which nonfatal strangulation is a felony. While Colorado statutes do not specifically address strangulation, other criminal statutes may apply. This memorandum also...
This issue brief discusses the various offenses related to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Colorado, and their associated criminal and administrative penalties.
Presented to the Joint Health Committee.
State legislatures have emphasized the importance of collecting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to solve crimes. This issue brief describes legislative efforts, both in Colorado and across the country, to mandate that individuals convicted of or arrested for a crime submit a DNA sample for entry...
Pursuant to the Health Care Affordability Act of 2009, Colorado collects a provider fee from most hospitals. The hospital provider fee (HPF) is matched with federal Medicaid dollars and used to reimburse hospitals for uncompensated care costs, pay for expansion populations under Medicaid and the...
Colorado currently administers 11 Home- and Community-Based Services Medicaid (HCBS) Waivers. This issue brief discusses the five waivers available to children. An issue brief entitled Medicaid Waiver Programs Part II – Home- and Community-Based Services Medicaid Waivers for Adults discusses the...
Section 1332 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) allows a state to apply for a state innovation waiver to pursue innovative strategies for providing its residents with access to high-quality, affordable health insurance while still retaining certain elements of the...
Vaccinations offer protection from common infectious diseases. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends specific vaccines for all infants, children, and adults during their lifetime to provide immunization from preventable illness. According to the CDC, the...
This guide is a compilation of crimes and traffic infractions in Colorado. For each offense, a brief description of the elements of the crime and the statutory citation are provided. The compilation of crimes is organized in two parts as follows: Crimes Listed by Level of Offense and Crimes...
This document summaries the major pieces of legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session.
This document provides a summary of legislation pertaining to human services considered by the General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session.