Second Regular Session | 74th General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyDuring the 2018 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to increasing access to behavioral health services, increasing capacity for competency restoration, protecting children in foster care, child care assistance funding, and increasing the effectiveness of other...
Colorado’s child welfare system provides a range of services to protect children from abuse and neglect and to assist families in caring for their children. This issue brief provides an overview of the child welfare system in Colorado, including administration and funding, reporting...
This memorandum provides a brief overview of the timeline of events related to the recommended closure of the Grand Junction Regional Center (GJRC) campus.
Report No. 2018-TE4
During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly passed legislation focused on enhancing the state's adoption, foster care, and child welfare programs; expanding a Division of Youth Services (DYS) pilot program designed to change the internal culture of DYS; and enhancing services...
Summary report for the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System.
This memorandum memorializes the process for requesting and preparing Demographic Notes (notes) pursuant to Section 2-2-322.5, C.R.S. It outlines the number of notes per session, the process for requesting notes, the preparation and timing of notes, and the preparation of revised and final notes...
Procedures for Demographic Notes Form
This memorandum provides a brief overview of the human services delivery structure in Colorado, which is primarily state-supervised and county-delivered. This includes an overview of the offices, divisions, and boards within the Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS) and a brief...
Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Treatment of Persons With Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Committee.
This memorandum provides information about veterans community living centers (VCLCs), formerly known as state veterans nursing homes, in Colorado. Specifically, it includes the history of the five current VCLC locations and the process for building new VCLCs. The memorandum also discusses how...
The quality of child care and early childhood education (ECE) are key concerns for parents and policymakers alike. Whether daycare, preschool, or another setting, child care and ECE allow parents to remain in the workforce and improve the school readiness of children. This issue brief...
During the 2020 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to parental rights, marriage and adoption, and child welfare.
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. This issue brief provides an overview of the APS...
Respite care provides temporary relief to a caregiver from the physical and emotional impacts of caring for a person with special needs who requires assistance to care for themselves. Care can be provided for a few hours, overnight, or on an extended basis by a friend, family member, volunteer...
During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several measures related to public health, including behavioral health, suicide prevention, and public safety.
During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several measures related to children and domestic matters, including foster care, child care, and child welfare.
The General Assembly considered several measures during the 2021 legislative session related to human services, including behavioral health and long-term care.
Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems.
The Governor and General Assembly formed the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force and Subpanel to develop recommendations in 2021. Comprised of legislators, executive branch representatives, and diverse behavioral health practitioners and experts, the Task Force and ...
During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to behavioral health, including several bills recommended by Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force to address gaps in the continuum of care using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well...
During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to human services, including bills concerning seniors and protected persons, assistance programs, and repurposing the Ridge View campus.
During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered numerous bills related to public health, including bills related to service providers and equipment, rare diseases, environmental quality, and data collection.
During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered numerous bills related to child & domestic matters.
The health care system frequently distinguishes between physical and behavioral health. Physical health refers to the condition of the body. Behavioral health refers to the condition of cognitive processing systems. Behavioral health services include, among others: individual and group therapy...