HB 18-1177

House Bill 18-1177, also known as the Youth Suicide Prevention Act, aims to provide training for individuals who regularly interact with young people but are not typically trained in youth suicide prevention. This includes camp counselors, recreation center employees, and parents. The bill requires a Colorado nonprofit organization to offer free, evidence-based, and culturally sensitive training programs in both English and Spanish. Additionally, it lowers the age of consent for minors seeking outpatient psychotherapy services from 15 to 12 years old, while keeping the age requirement at 15 for inpatient care. The bill has been signed into law, meaning these provisions are now active and will be implemented as described.

Official Summary

The bill strongly encourages the office of suicide prevention (office) in the department of public health and environment (department) to work with appropriate entities to develop and implement a plan to provide access to training programs related to youth suicide prevention for people who regularly interact with youth but who are not in a profession that typically provides such training opportunities, such as camp counselors, recreation center employees, youth group leaders, clergy, and parents. The office is required to contract with a Colorado nonprofit organization to offer such training through an existing statewide coordinated model. Classes and programs offered by the approved nonprofit organizations must be evidence-based and culturally sensitive, in both English and Spanish, and free to the public. The department shall reimburse the approved nonprofit organization for any direct or indirect costs associated with such classes and programs. The age of consent for a minor to seek and obtain outpatient psychotherapy services is lowered from 15 years of age or older to 12 years of age and older. The licensed mental health provider is immune from civil or criminal liability for providing outpatient psychotherapy services unless he or she acts negligently or outside the scope of his or her practice. The bill clarifies that the age of consent for a minor seeking inpatient psychotherapy or other inpatient mental health services without the consent of a parent or legal guardian remains 15 years of age or older. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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