Office of the Statewide Behavioral Health Court Liaison

C.R.S. tit. 13, art. 95

in effect

C.R.S. § 13-95-101 Legislative declaration and intent

13-95-101. Legislative declaration and intent. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) Colorado's citizens who are living with mental health and substance use disorders are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, and they are at a significantly greater risk of incurring criminal justice involvement, longer terms of involvement, and harsher consequences of that involvement when compared to the general public; (b) Colorado must make a commitment to ensure that all individuals within the criminal justice system are treated fairly and humanely, regardless of their behavioral health history or mental state; and (c) There is a significant need for enhanced communication among health-care systems, behavioral health systems, and criminal justice entities, including law enforcement, defense attorneys, district attorneys, county attorneys, judges, and probation, to foster collaboration that provides all individuals with a fair chance of living a healthy and productive life. (2) The general assembly further finds that: (a) Colorado has an obligation to ensure that entities within the criminal justice system are equipped with a greater understanding of behavioral health treatment options in the community; and (b) Community mental health providers, including community mental health centers, are a critical component of achieving positive outcomes for individuals living with mental health, behavioral health, and substance use disorders and have long held an essential role in engaging criminal justice entities. (3) The general assembly therefore finds that it is critical to create a network of professionals who can comprehensively bridge the criminal justice system and the community behavioral health systems across the state in order to: (a) Promote positive outcomes for individuals living with mental health or co-occurring behavioral health conditions; (b) Inform criminal justice entities about community treatment options; and (c) Connect individuals to behavioral health services. (4) Therefore, the general assembly declares that the office of bridges of Colorado provides a method for collaboration and consultation among behavioral health providers, district attorneys, county attorneys, and defense attorneys about available community-based behavioral health services and supports, competency evaluations, restoration to competency services, and other relevant decisions and issues facing individuals with mental health or co-occurring behavioral health challenges, including mental health disabilities, who are involved with the criminal or juvenile justice system, including appropriateness for community treatment and resource availability.

C.R.S. § 13-95-102 Definitions

13-95-102. Definitions. As used in this article 95, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Behavioral health challenge" refers to mental health and co-occurring challenges that may or may not have been previously diagnosed, including substance use challenges and mental disabilities. (2) "Behavioral health services" or "behavioral health systems" means service systems that encompass prevention and promotion of emotional health, prevention and treatment services for behavioral health challenges, and recovery support. (2.5) "Bridges court liaison" means a person who is hired or contracted by the office as a court liaison pursuant to this article 95. (2.6) "Bridges court liaison program" or "court liaison program" means the court liaison program created pursuant to section 13-95-105. (2.7) "Bridges wraparound care coordinator" means a person who is hired or contracted by the office as a wraparound care coordinator pursuant to section 13-95-105 (2). (2.8) "Bridges wraparound care program" means the bridges wraparound care program created pursuant to section 16-8.6-103. (3) "Co-occurring challenge" means a disorder that may or may not have been previously diagnosed that commonly coincides with behavioral health challenges and may include, but is not limited to, substance abuse and substance use disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, fetal alcohol syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. (4) "Commission" means the bridges of Colorado commission created in section 13-95-104. (5) Repealed. (6) "Director" means the director of the office described in section 13-95-103. (7) "Mental disability" means a psychiatric disability, developmental disability, learning disability, or cognitive impairment, including a traumatic brain injury and dementia diseases and related disabilities as defined in section 25-1-502. (8) "Office" means the office of bridges of Colorado established in section 13-95-103. (9) "Participant" means an individual with behavioral health challenges who is involved with the criminal or juvenile justice system and for whom a bridges court liaison or bridges wraparound care coordinator has been appointed pursuant to a court order. (10) Repealed. (11) "Social determinants of health" means the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, including health-care access and quality, education access and quality, social and community context, economic stability, housing, and transportation. (12) "State court administrator" means the state court administrator established pursuant to section 13-3-101.

C.R.S. § 13-95-103 Office of bridges of Colorado - administrative support - director - confidentiality - repeal

13-95-103. Office of bridges of Colorado - administrative support - director - confidentiality - repeal. (1) (a) There is created the office of bridges of Colorado as an independent agency in the judicial department. The office has the powers and duties described in this article 95. The purpose of the office is to identify and dedicate behavioral health professionals to provide services through the bridges court liaison program and the bridges wraparound care program in each state judicial district. (b) The office shall provide services, as described in sections 13-95-104, 13-95-105, and article 8.6 of title 16, to individuals accused of crimes or delinquent acts. The office shall provide services to participants independently of any political considerations or private interests. (c) (I) The head of the office is the director. Except for the initial director of the office described in subsection (1)(c)(II) of this section, the commission shall appoint the director. The director shall employ or contract with persons necessary to discharge the functions of the office in accordance with this article 95. (II) (A) Notwithstanding the appointment authority described in subsection (1)(c)(I) of this section, the individual who, on April 27, 2023, is serving as director of the statewide behavioral health court liaison program, as it existed prior to its repeal in 2023, is the director of the office for a term expiring June 30, 2026. After the initial term of appointment, the commission may appoint the individual as director pursuant to subsection (1)(c)(I) of this section. The commission may remove the director serving pursuant to this subsection (1)(c)(II)(A) for cause. (B) This subsection (1)(c)(II) is repealed, effective December 31, 2026. (2) (a) The office and commission shall not disclose information provided by an individual participating in the bridges court liaison program or bridges wraparound care program even if the information is relied upon when compiling information for a court report or other report requested or required by the court, unless: (I) The disclosure is made in connection with and included in a report filed with the court or as required pursuant to court-ordered action by a bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator; (II) The defense counsel and the individual participating in the bridges court liaison program or bridges wraparound care program agree to the disclosure; or (III) The disclosure is required in order to comply with mandatory reporting requirements pursuant to sections 18-6.5-108 and 19-3-304. (b) A bridges court liaison and a bridges wraparound care coordinator shall only disclose information reported to the court by the bridges court liaison or bridges wraparound care coordinator pursuant to a court order, but the information must be restricted if the information is otherwise limited by court rules. (c) A report requested or required by the court may be suppressed or sealed based on the contents of the report. and a bridges wraparound care coordinator shall only disclose information reported to the court by the bridges court liaison or bridges wraparound care coordinator pursuant to a court order, but the information must be restricted if the information is otherwise limited by court rules. (c) A report requested or required by the court may be suppressed or sealed based on the contents of the report. (d) This subsection (2) does not: (I) Prevent the office from disclosing that a bridges court liaison or bridges wraparound care coordinator was appointed to a case or has access to the contents of an order that directs the office to take action, as long as the court order is not otherwise restricted from disclosure; or (II) Limit the rights of a valid subpoena, an individual participating in the bridges court liaison program or bridges wraparound care program, the defense attorney, a person who requests the program participant's medical records upon submitting an authorization that complies with the federal "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996", 42 U.S.C. sec. 1320d, as amended, or a court order authorizing the inspection of the program participant's medical records or mental health data pursuant to section 24-72-204 (3)(a)(I). (3) (a) As an included agency for the purposes of article 100 of this title 13, the office receives administrative and fiscal support services from the office of administrative services for independent agencies. (b) Repealed. (4) (a) The office and judicial department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to provide the office, including the office's employees or contractors, electronic read-only access to the name index and register of actions for those case types necessary to carry out the office's statutory purpose and the duties of the office's court appointment. The memorandum of understanding must also delineate a filing process for the office, including the office's employees and contractors, to submit reports to the court. (b) The judicial department shall provide transition services to establish the office until the department and the office determine that the transition is complete. (5) The office shall pay the expenses of the bridges of Colorado commission, established in section 13-95-104.

C.R.S. § 13-95-104 Bridges of Colorado commission - creation - membership - duties - repeal

13-95-104. Bridges of Colorado commission - creation - membership - duties - repeal. (1) There is created in the office the bridges of Colorado commission to support the office. (2) (a) The commission is comprised of the following members: (I) The executive director of the Colorado district attorneys' council, or the executive director's designee; (II) The state public defender, or the state public defender's designee; (III) The commissioner of the behavioral health administration, or the commissioner's designee; (IV) The director of the office within a state department responsible for assisting civil and forensic mental health patients, or the director's designee; (V) The state court administrator, or the state court administrator's designee; and (VI) The following members, appointed by the chief justice of the Colorado supreme court: (A) A representative from a disability rights organization that provides services to the populations served by the office; (B) A representative from a behavioral health, disability, or criminal justice advocacy organization that advocates for the populations served by the office; (C) A representative from an organization that provides housing or other resources to the populations served by the office; and (D) Three Colorado residents, at least two of whom are individuals with lived experience reflective of the populations served by the office. (b) The chief justice shall make appointments to the commission pursuant to subsection (2)(a)(VI) of this section no later than July 1, 2023. (c) Members appointed by the chief justice must not be employed or under contract with the office or the office within a state department responsible for assisting civil and forensic mental health patients. To represent the diversity of the communities served by the office, when making designations or appointments to the commission, the designating and appointing authorities shall consider a designee's or appointee's place of residence or employment, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, race, ethnic background, and lived experience. (d) (I) Except for the initial appointments made pursuant to subsection (2)(d)(II) of this section, the term of appointment for each member appointed by the chief justice pursuant to subsection (2)(a)(VI) of this section is three years. The chief justice may reappoint a member for additional terms. (II) (A) For the initial term of appointment of the members pursuant to subsection (2)(a)(VI) of this section, the chief justice shall appoint two members to a three-year term, two members to a two-year term, and one member to a one-year term. (B) This subsection (2)(d)(II) is repealed, effective December 31, 2025. (e) Each member of the commission serves without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of the member's duties. (3) The director shall call the first meeting of the commission to occur no later than July 31, 2023. (4) The director and the commission shall establish procedures for the operation of the commission. (5) The commission shall: (a) Appoint the director of the office. The commission may remove a director for cause. (b) Work cooperatively with the director to provide guidance to the office; provide fiscal oversight of the general operating budget of the office; participate in funding decisions relating to the provision of services; and assist with the duties of the office concerning office training and public outreach, as needed.

C.R.S. § 13-95-105 Bridges of Colorado - programs - administration

13-95-105. Bridges of Colorado - programs - administration. (1) The office shall operate the bridges court liaison program and the bridges wraparound care program in each judicial district in the state. The office shall provide personnel and program resources equitably in each judicial district and shall ensure that the program services in each judicial district are consistent with the policies, procedures, and best practices as established by the office and commission, and are aligned with statewide goals and legislative intent. (2) The office shall facilitate communication and collaboration between judicial and behavioral health systems by: (a) Hiring, or entering into contracts for, individuals to serve as: (I) Bridges court liaisons who provide bridges court liaison program services to courts and participants in judicial districts; and (II) Bridges wraparound care coordinators who provide wraparound care program services to courts and participants in judicial districts pursuant to article 8.6 of title 16; and (b) Providing consultation and training to criminal and juvenile justice personnel regarding behavioral health and program best practices. (3) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2024).

C.R.S. § 13-95-106 Bridges court liaisons - bridges wraparound care coordinators - duties and responsibilities

13-95-106. Bridges court liaisons - bridges wraparound care coordinators - duties and responsibilities. (1) A bridges court liaison hired or contracted pursuant to this article 95 has the following duties and responsibilities: (a) Conducting intake, screening, and assessment, with participants, for behavioral health history and needs and social determinants of health needs; (b) Determining appropriate referral and treatment options, when necessary, and making direct connections to, and supporting engagement with, services for participants, including other criminal or juvenile justice diversion programs for individuals with behavioral health challenges, which may include alternatives to competency services, prosecution, and custody or confinement; if a participant is convicted, alternatives to sentences to confinement while promoting public safety; and other diversion-oriented programs, including problem-solving courts, competency dockets, treatment, sober or supportive housing, and peer mentor programs; (c) Using the competency information from the statewide court data system, as updated pursuant to section 13-3-101 (17), to identify individuals who have not been appointed a bridges court liaison but for whom an appointment to the bridges court liaison program may be beneficial. If an individual is identified for whom services may be appropriate, the bridges court liaison may recommend to the judicial officer, defense attorney, and district attorney working on the case that a bridges court liaison be appointed for the individual. (d) Addressing system gaps and barriers and promoting positive outcomes for participants in cases to which the bridges court liaison is assigned; (e) Keeping judges; district attorneys or county attorneys, as applicable; and defense attorneys informed about available community-based behavioral health services for the participant in a case, and, if applicable, case planning for possible release from custody for a participant who has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation or receive competency restoration services pursuant to article 8.5 of title 16 and article 2.5 of title 19. (f) Facilitating communication and collaboration between behavioral health systems and criminal justice entities; (g) Providing information to criminal and juvenile justice personnel regarding behavioral health and community treatment options and bridges court liaison program best practices; (h) Coordinating with service providers, including the office within a state department responsible for assisting civil and forensic mental health patients and jail-based behavioral health providers, to ensure continuity of care and service delivery in a manner that avoids duplication and bifurcation of services; and (i) Following the policies, procedures, best practices, and guidance of the bridges court liaison program, as established by the office and commission. (2) A bridges wraparound care coordinator hired or contracted pursuant to section 13-95-105 (2) has the duties and responsibilities described in section 16-8.6-106. (3) A bridges court liaison hired or contracted pursuant to this article 95 and a bridges wraparound care coordinator hired or contracted pursuant to section 13-95-105 (2) shall: (a) Keep judges, district attorneys, county attorneys, and defense attorneys informed about available community-based behavioral health services, including services for defendants who have been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation or receive competency restoration services pursuant to article 8.5 of title 16 and article 2.5 of title 19; or contracted pursuant to section 13-95-105 (2) shall: (a) Keep judges, district attorneys, county attorneys, and defense attorneys informed about available community-based behavioral health services, including services for defendants who have been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation or receive competency restoration services pursuant to article 8.5 of title 16 and article 2.5 of title 19; (b) Make efforts to connect participants to, and support engagement with, behavioral health services and services for social determinants of health and to promote positive outcomes for individuals living with behavioral health challenges, including: (I) Mental health treatment and care; (II) Treatment and care for mental disabilities; (III) Substance use disorder intervention and recovery services; (IV) Housing, including supportive housing; (V) Transportation; (VI) Basic needs assistance; (VII) Employment assistance, if applicable; and (VIII) Health insurance coverage, including medicare or medicaid eligibility and enrollment; and (c) Make efforts to collaborate with service providers, including the office within a state department responsible for assisting civil and forensic mental health patients and jail-based behavioral health providers, to ensure continuity of care and service delivery in a manner that avoids duplication and bifurcation of services. (4) If a court appoints a bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator for an individual, the statewide court data system must include a record of the appointment and actions related to the appointment on the individual's case records. (5) A bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator appointed in a case is a resource for the court and the parties to the case. A bridges court liaison and a bridges wraparound care coordinator are not independent parties in a case, and a bridges court liaison shall not serve in a role intended to monitor compliance with a court order by a party or other individual associated with a case. (6) The office may continue to serve a participant with a bridges court liaison or a bridges wraparound care coordinator for up to ninety days after final disposition of the case for which the bridges court liaison or bridges wraparound care coordinator was appointed.

C.R.S. § 13-95-107 Bridges program participant services funding

13-95-107. Bridges program participant services funding. (1) Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the office may expend appropriated program money to provide, or contract for the provision of, behavioral health services, basic necessities, transitional housing, and other services to support the social determinants of health for participants. (2) Requests for money must be submitted through the appointed bridges court liaison or other employee or designee of the office. (3) The office shall make payments to the entity providing services to participants and shall not make payments directly to a participant.

C.R.S. § 13-95-108 Gifts, grants, and donations

13-95-108. Gifts, grants, and donations. The office may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of this article 95.

C.R.S. § 13-95-109 Reporting requirements

13-95-109. Reporting requirements. (1) On or before November 1 of each year, the office shall report to the joint budget committee, or any successor committee, about the office's work and administration of the bridges court liaison program and bridges wraparound care program during the prior year. The report must include: (a) The number and competency status of cases in the past year when a bridges court liaison was appointed and outcomes in those cases related to the legislative intent and statewide goals of the office, as set forth in this article 95, including data related to alternatives to competency services, alternatives to custody, and alternatives to criminal justice system involvement; (b) Information concerning the use of money from the bridges of Colorado program participant service fund, including a summary of how money from the fund is being used to alleviate system gaps and barriers to services; and (c) The number of participants and status of cases in the past year when a bridges wraparound care coordinator was appointed and the outcomes of the cases related to the legislative intent and statewide goals of the office, as set forth in article 8.6 of title 16, including data related to alternatives to competency services, alternatives to custody, and alternatives to criminal justice system involvement. (2) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the reporting requirement described in this section continues indefinitely.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-13.docxFetched: 10/6/2026