(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "high-risk children and youth" means children or youth at risk of entering or who are involved with the juvenile justice system or the child welfare system.
There is created in the state treasury the high-risk families cash fund, referred to inthis section as the "fund". The fund consists of money credited to the fund and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the fund to the fund. Money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the department, which may expend money from the fund for the purposes specified in subsection (4) of this section.
Repealed.
The department may expend money in the fund for the following purposes:
For services to high-risk parents, including pregnant and parenting women, with substance use disorders; and
For services for high-risk children and youth with behavioral health disorders.
(5) (a) The department may use money from the fund to contract with managed service organizations, private providers, schools, counties, nonprofit organizations, or municipalities to provide services described in subsection (4) of this section.
(b) Money expended by the department must be used for one-time allocations to increase treatment capacity, including start-up costs and capital expenditures, or to provide substance use disorder recovery and wraparound services, including access to child care, to high-risk families.
After considering relevant stakeholder feedback, the department shall annually prioritize the use of available money in the fund, recognizing statewide need and complementing existing funding for behavioral health services statewide.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I) to the contrary, thedepartment shall submit a report to the general assembly on July 1, 2020, and on July 1 each year thereafter, which report must include:
A summary of expenditures from the fund made by the department;
The impact of the expenditures in increasing services for high-risk families; and
Any recommendations to strengthen and improve access to services and services provided with money from the fund.
Source: L. 2019: Entire section added, (HB 19-1193), ch. 272, p. 2571, § 8, effective May 23. L. 2020: (3) repealed, (HB 20-1388), ch. 124, p. 523, § 4, effective June 24.
Editor's note: This section was numbered as § 27-80-119 in HB 19-1193 but was renumbered on revision for ease of location.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 19-1193, see section 1 of chapter 272, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.