H_PBH_2021A 04/30/2021 11:50:45 AM Committee Summary

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.

Frank Cornelia, Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, 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.

Representative Young
and Representative Holtorf introduced House Bill 21-1279, Occupational
Therapy Interstate Compact.

The bill enters
Colorado into the Occupational Therapy Licensure Interstate Compact, pending
its adoption by ten or more states.  The compact requires that member
states recognize licenses for occupational therapists or occupational therapy
assistants issued by any other member state, including practicing telehealth
services, and establishes minimum criteria for such licenses, including
that all practitioners in member state must obtain a background check.
 Credentialed practitioners in a member state can apply for the privilege
to practice in another member state, and the compact grants member states
the authority to charge a fee for such privilege.



The bill grants the Department of Regulatory Agencies the authority to
promulgate rules to implement the compact, to appoint members to the compact’s
governing commission, and to report data to the commission, as determined
by rule.

Ms. Kalfas responded to questions from the committee.

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