CO SB276

State department shall contract with multiple licensed providers approved by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to deliver services to children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the program.

County departments must refer children or youth to be assessed for enrollment in the Children's Habilitation Residential Program within seven days of submitting a placement application to the state department.

State department shall reimburse service providers directly for all costs associated with placements for the duration of treatment and 30 days after completion, rather than reimbursing county departments.

Entities such as hospitals, health-care providers, and case management service providers may refer families to voluntarily apply for placement, but children and youth placed by county departments or the state department have priority for admission.

$1,162,912 is appropriated to the Department of Human Services Division of Child Welfare for fiscal year 2021-22 for residential placements, with an additional 0.5 FTE staff position.