Representative Cutter and Representative Will introduced House Bill 21-1281, Community Behavioral Health Disaster Program. The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

The bill creates the Community Behavioral Health Disaster Preparedness and Response Program in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).  The program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities of community behavioral health organizations.  The CDPHE must promulgate rules as necessary to oversee the program; work with community behavioral health organizations to create, define, and publish eligibility criteria to participate in the program; and provide funding to community behavioral health organizations to help improve emergency preparedness.

The bill also creates the Community Behavioral Health Disaster Preparedness and Response Cash Fund.  The fund will contain any gifts, grants, and donations, as well as any other moneys appropriated to the fund by the General Assembly.  Any unexpended money at the end of the fiscal year remains in the fund.

Thomas Olbrich, Jefferson Center, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Cornelia, Mr. Olbrich, and Ms. VanDover responded to questions from the committee.

The bill sponsors and Mr. Carpenter responded to questions from the committee regarding Amendment L.002.

The bill sponsors and committee members made closing remarks on the bill.