27-64.5-102. System of care for children and youth - report - rules. (1) No later than July 1, 2024, the behavioral health administration, in collaboration with the state department and the department of health care policy and financing pursuant to part 20 of article 6 of title 25.5, shall begin developing a system of care for children and youth who have complex behavioral health needs. At a minimum, the system of care must include:
(a) Implementation of a standardized assessment tool that:
(I) Expands upon and modifies the assessment tool described in section 19-1-115 (4)(e)(I);
(II) Makes recommendations regarding the appropriate level of care necessary to meet the child's or youth's treatment needs;
(III) Informs the child's or youth's treatment planning, including behavioral health programming and medical needs; and
(IV) Is administered to children and youth who are enrolled in the state medical assistance program or any child or youth who meets the referral requirements established by the behavioral health administration, the state department, and the department of health care policy and financing, which requirements must not exclude a child or youth based on the child's or youth's disability or diagnosis;
(b) Intensive-care coordination for children and youth enrolled in the state medical assistance program pursuant to articles 4, 5, and 6 of title 25.5;
(c) Expanded supportive services for children and youth pursuant to subsection (2) of this section; and
(d) Expanded access to treatment foster care, as defined in section 26-6-903.
(2) No later than October 1, 2024, the BHA shall promulgate rules in collaboration with the state department and the department of health care policy and financing for the administration and implementation of the system of care for children and youth. At a minimum, the rules must address:
(a) The populations eligible for the system of care components;
(b) Mechanisms for determining eligibility for participating in the system of care; and
(c) Requirements for residential treatment providers to obtain cultural competency related to the provision of services under a system of care.
(3) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), beginning January 2025, and each January thereafter, the state department shall report progress on the development and implementation of the system of care developed pursuant to this section to the house of representatives health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or their successor committees, during the hearings held pursuant to the "SMART Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2.
