HB 19-1120 Summary

• Allows minors age 12 and older to seek outpatient psychotherapy services from licensed mental health professionals without parental consent if the minor voluntarily seeks services and the treatment is clinically necessary for the minor's well-being.

• Requires mental health professionals to attempt notifying parents or guardians of services provided, unless notification would be inappropriate or detrimental to the minor's care, and requires full documentation of notification attempts in clinical records.

• Mandates that mental health professionals notify parents immediately if a minor communicates intent to commit suicide or threatens serious bodily harm to themselves or others.

• Requires the Colorado Department of Education to create and maintain a resource bank of evidence-based mental health curricula and materials by July 1, 2020, available free to schools, educators, parents, students, and community providers, with technical assistance provided upon request.

• Appropriates $116,550 to the Department of Education for the 2019-20 fiscal year to implement the mental health education resource bank and provide technical assistance to schools.