Signed by Governor Jared Polis

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands substance use disorder treatment in the criminal justice system.

Highlights:

• Authorizes correctional facilities, private contract prisons, local, multijurisdictional, and municipal jails, and state department facilities to make opioid agonists and opioid antagonists available to a person in custody with an opioid use disorder and contract with community-based health providers to do so (Sec. 1-4).

• Authorizes qualified medication administration personnel to administer opioid agonists and opioid antagonists, in accordance with a written physician’s order (Sec. 1-4).  

• Authorizes individuals to turn in controlled substances and request assistance in gaining access to treatment for a substance use disorder at a safe station, if safe station personnel are available (Sec. 5).

• Requires safe station personnel to provide the individual with information about the behavioral health crisis response system, help identify treatment options, and if practicable, provide transportation to the most appropriate facility for treatment of a substance use disorder (Sec. 5)

• Prohibits arrest or prosecution for possession of controlled substances that are being turned in to a safe station (Sec. 5).

• Defines “safe station” as any municipal police station, county sheriff’s office, or fire station (Sec. 5). 

• Requires county jails and correctional facilities to, at minimum, provide post-release resources including a list of available substance use providers (Sec. 6-7).

• Requires the executive director of the department of corrections to develop post-release resources for inmates that reflect the needs of diverse and underserved populations and communities (Sec. 8).

• Requires county jails to provide medicaid re-enrollment paperwork to the person when the person enters the county jail and file it with the Department of Health and Human Services upon releasing the person from the county jail’s custody (Sec. 6).

• Authorizes the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) to contract with cities and counties for the creation, maintenance, and expansion of criminal justice diversion programs (Sec. 10).

• Defines a “criminal justice diversion program” as a program operated by cities or counties that connect law enforcement officers with behavioral health providers to assist individuals in need of behavioral health interventions or to divert individuals from the criminal justice system (Sec. 11).

• Requires the state department to include an annual update on or before November 1, regarding the status of funding and the criminal justice diversion programs that have been implemented (Sec. 10).

• Authorizes the OBH to require criminal justice diversion programs to participate as mobile crisis services in the Behavioral Health Crisis Response System (Sec. 10-12).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands substance use disorder treatment in the criminal justice system.

Highlights:

• Authorizes correctional facilities, private contract prisons, local, multijurisdictional, and municipal jails, and state department facilities to make opioid agonists and opioid antagonists available to a person in custody with an opioid use disorder and contract with community-based health providers to do so (Sec. 1-4).

• Authorizes qualified medication administration personnel to administer opioid agonists and opioid antagonists, in accordance with a written physician’s order (Sec. 1-4).  

• Authorizes individuals to turn in controlled substances and request assistance in gaining access to treatment for a substance use disorder at a safe station, if safe station personnel are available (Sec. 5).

• Requires safe station personnel to provide the individual with information about the behavioral health crisis response system, help identify treatment options, and if practicable, provide transportation to the most appropriate facility for treatment of a substance use disorder (Sec. 5)

• Prohibits arrest or prosecution for possession of controlled substances that are being turned in to a safe station (Sec. 5).

• Defines “safe station” as any municipal police station, county sheriff’s office, or fire station (Sec. 5). 

• Requires county jails and correctional facilities to, at minimum, provide post-release resources including a list of available substance use providers (Sec. 6-7).

• Requires the executive director of the department of corrections to develop post-release resources for inmates that reflect the needs of diverse and underserved populations and communities (Sec. 8).

• Requires county jails to provide medicaid re-enrollment paperwork to the person when the person enters the county jail and file it with the Department of Health and Human Services upon releasing the person from the county jail’s custody (Sec. 6).

• Authorizes the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) to contract with cities and counties for the creation, maintenance, and expansion of criminal justice diversion programs (Sec. 10).

• Defines a “criminal justice diversion program” as a program operated by cities or counties that connect law enforcement officers with behavioral health providers to assist individuals in need of behavioral health interventions or to divert individuals from the criminal justice system (Sec. 11).

• Requires the state department to include an annual update on or before November 1, regarding the status of funding and the criminal justice diversion programs that have been implemented (Sec. 10).

• Authorizes the OBH to require criminal justice diversion programs to participate as mobile crisis services in the Behavioral Health Crisis Response System (Sec. 10-12).

Full Bill Text