6 Colo. Code Regs. § 1009-12-1
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 11, June 10, 2024
Section 6 CCR 1009-12-1 - Purpose and AuthorityA. The Department shall implement the Community Disaster Behavioral Health Program (Program) using existing initiatives and activities to ensure that behavioral health is adequately represented within disaster preparedness and response efforts across the state.B. Section 25-20.5-1302, C.R.S. directs the State Board of Health to promulgate rules as necessary for the oversight and management of the Program, including allowable uses for funding allocated from the Community Behavioral Health Disaster Preparedness and Response Cash Fund (Cash Fund) created in section 25-20.5-1303, C.R.S..C. The Program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities conducted by community behavioral health organizations, including community mental health centers as defined in section 27-66-101(2), C.R.S.1. Disaster behavioral health response differs from traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. The goal is to promote adaptive functioning and decrease stress in the shadow of a disaster, which helps to restore executive functioning of the brain, such as decision-making, problem-solving, and cognitive processing. A community disaster behavioral health responder is not a practicing therapist but is instead providing a range of basic services through a tiered response effort that is designed to promote individual, family, and community resilience and helps affected individuals return to a pre-event level of functioning as quickly as possible. Disaster response methods include triage, basic support, psychological first aid, and making appropriate professional referrals in the community. These services are provided to survivors as well as professionals and volunteers who respond to emergencies and disasters and others on the scene of such incidents. The actual methods used depend on the type of event, the number of people affected, and the availability of resources.2. The activities must not replace or supersede any disaster plans prepared or maintained by a local or interjurisdictional emergency management agency, as established in section 24-33.5-707, C.R.S..45 CR 14, July 25, 2022, effective 8/14/2022