8D6512B20A687CE787258490005FBC7B Hearing Summary

Moses Gur, MHDCJS Task Force Chair, and Ashley Tunstall, MHDCJS, Co-Chair, explained Bill #1, concerning the addition of public safety telecommunicators as eligible recipients of mental health services under the mental health support grant program administered by the Department of Local Affairs.  Amendments to Bill #1 were distributed (Attachments C and D).   Mr. Gur and Ms. Tunstall noted that Amendment 2 expands the definition of worker's compensation psychologically traumatic event to include audible exposure. 

Discussion followed regarding the grant's application and funding. Concerns were raised about broadening the existing grant to 911 dispatchers and the availability of funds.  Discussion followed about expanding the worker's compensation definition. 

Athena Butler, Executive Director, Denver 911, spoke about vicarious trauma and the need to take care of all those involved in the public safety system.  

Daryl Branson, State 911 Program Manager, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, discussed the importance of the worker's compensation piece of the draft bill.  

Committee members asked questions about the intent of the task force members regarding the worker's compensation definition to include audible exposure. Discussion followed about previous legislative attempts to add audible exposure to the worker's compensation definition.

Richard Sweetman, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions about the bill title and single subject rules. 

Committee members returned discussion to the addition of audible exposure to the worker's compensation definition. Concerns were raised about lack of testimony on this subject.  

Jerry Rhodes, representing the South Metro Fire Rescue, testified in support of Bill #1 and discussed how it could be expanded even further to include fire protection and emergency medical services.    

 

Representative Singer and Senator Fields agreed to sponsor Bill #1.  

Ms. Tunstall explained Bill #4, which creates the Trusted Interoperability Platform Advisory Committee to create a strategic plan. The bill also amends the definition of psychologically traumatic event for the purpose of worker's compensation.

Jon Gottsegen, Chief Data Officer, Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology, discussed how the bill would work and how it ensures the right people are at the table to discuss an interoperability platform.  

Bill Zepernick, Legislative Council Staff, explained the fiscal note.  

Discussion followed about privacy concerns, involved agencies, timing, and the final product from the advisory committee.

Senator Rodriguez distributed and explained Amendment 1 (Attachment E) which strikes Section 1 of the bill and narrows the bill title.  

Senators Rodriguez, Fields, and Cooke and Representative Singer agreed to sponsor Bill #4.  

Amanda Gall, Colorado District Attorneys' Council, and Laurie Rose Kepros, Office of the State Public Defender and the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, explained Bill #2, which makes multiple changes related to juveniles who have committed sex offenses.  Ms. Gall and Ms. Kepros discussed problems with the current juvenile sex offender registry and agreed that the bill better aligns public safety and intervention goals.  Ms. Gall and Ms. Kepros answered questions from the committee.

Bill Zepernick explained that the fiscal note includes a staffing and IT component.  

Representatives Benavidez and Singer agreed to sponsor the bill in the House and Senator Rodriguez in the Senate.  

Jennifer Longtin and Gina Shimeall, MHDCJS Task Force members, explained Bill #3, which establishes and expands programs with the Department of Local Affairs to build capacity in Colorado communities to provide supportive housing services to certain individuals who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness.  A packet of information was distributed about the bill (Attachment F).  

Olterian Scott, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and discussed how comprehensive housing services changed his life.  

Toni Hunter, representing the Volunteers of America (VOA) Colorado Rapid Rehousing for Re-Entry Program, spoke in support of Bill #3.  She discussed the VOA housing program and its eligibility requirements.  She also emphasized the positive benefits of comprehensive housing services.

Vincent Atchity, representing Mental Health Colorado, spoke in support of Bill #3.  He discussed how stable housing is a fundamental mental health need and how the bill creates opportunities for communities to create their own supportive housing.  

Justin Larsen, representing the Second Chance Center, spoke in support of Bill #3.  He discussed the importance of housing and explained Second Chance Center's work on building permanent supportive housing.  

Brian Veatch, representing South Metro Fire, spoke in support of Bill #3.  He discussed housing issues for the mentally ill population in rural areas.

Jerry Rhodes, representing Colorado Association of State Fire Chiefs, discussed that the Association has not taken a position on the bill but acknowledged a state-wide need to help people with mental health issues.  

Gina Shimeall read a letter into the record in support of the bill from Carl Anderson of the Araphaoe County Sheriff's office (included in Attachment F).  

Kristin Toombs, MHDCJS Task Force member, answered questions about technical assistance and supportive and preventative services, as outlined in the bill.   She also discussed the size and scope of the grant program.  

Megan Waples, Office of Legislative Legal Services, answered questions about the statutory authority of the proposed advisory committee.  

Committee discussion followed about identifying and tracking the grant funds and spreading the resources across the state.  

Amendments 1, 2, and 3 to the bill were distributed and discussed (Attachments G, H, and I).

 

Representative Singer explained that Amendment 1 strikes certain sections, changes the bill title, and adds rural and frontier communities.  

Representative Singer explained that Amendment 2 adds substance abuse to those who qualify for the housing grants.

Representative Singer explained that Amendment 3 makes more of a direct line between the housing grant and the criminal and juvenile justice system.

Representative Singer and Senator Fields agreed to sponsor the bill.  

Moses Gur and Ashley Tunstall returned to the table to explain Bill #5, which extends the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems and the associated Task Force until July 1, 2025.  



The committee discussed the involvement of the Oversight Committee, membership, and expectations.  Further discussion followed about staffing and the fiscal note.  



Amendments 1 and 2 were distributed and explained (Attachments J and K).   Amendment 1 adds nonprofit representation to the Task Force, and Amendment 2 decreases the repeal date by two years.  

Representative Benavidez made a conceptual amendment to page 16, lines 4 through 10, that changes shall to may.