SB 18-250

Senate Bill 18-250, also known as the Jail-based Behavioral Health Services bill, aims to provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment for individuals in jail. It allows jails to use a specific fund to hire staff who can screen inmates for behavioral health issues, prescribe necessary medications, offer counseling, and coordinate care after release. The bill prioritizes smaller rural and frontier jails that have limited resources for such services. Since the status is "signed," this means the bill has been approved by both houses of the Colorado legislature and signed into law by the governor, making these provisions active and enforceable.

Official Summary

The bill continues to allow the correctional treatment cash fund to be used to provide treatment for persons with mental and behavioral health disorders who are being served through the jail-based behavioral health services program (program). The program is housed in the office of behavioral health (office). The purpose of the program is to provide adequate staff to complete competency and behavioral health screenings, prescribe psychiatric medications as necessary, and provide mental health counseling, substance use disorder treatment, and transitional care coordination; train jail staff on behavioral health disorders and best practices in working with individuals with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders; and fund administrative costs to jails participating in the program. The office shall prioritize jails with minimal behavioral health services, including rural and frontier jails. Jails that are participating in the program shall, at a minimum: Screen individuals who are being booked into the facility for various behavioral health issues; Provide adequate and appropriate access to health care and medications; Coordinate services with community behavioral health providers prior to the release of an inmate to ensure continuity of care following his or her release from the jail facility; and Track performance outcome measures for individuals affected by the program.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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