(1) No later than one hundred eighty days after June 28, 2021, the BHA, in collaboration with the department of agriculture, shall contract with a nonprofit organization primarily focused on serving agricultural and rural communities in Colorado, as identified by the BHA, to provide vouchers to individuals living in rural and frontier communities in need of behavioral health-care services.(2) The nonprofit organization awarded the contract pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall: (a) Contract with licensed behavioral health-care providers that have completed training on cultural competencies specific to the Colorado agricultural and rural community lifestyle to provide direct behavioral health-care services to farmers, ranchers, farm and ranch workers and their families, and other underserved populations in rural and agricultural communities. At least sixty percent of the money received pursuant to the contract must be used for direct behavioral health-care services described in this subsection (2)(a).(b) Develop training materials and train behavioral health-care providers on cultural competencies specific to the Colorado agricultural and rural community lifestyle.(3)

ed in this subsection (2)(a).(b) Develop training materials and train behavioral health-care providers on cultural competencies specific to the Colorado agricultural and rural community lifestyle.(3) For the 2021-22 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, the general assembly shall annually appropriate fifty thousand dollars for the contract awarded pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.Amended by 2022 Ch. 222,§97, eff. 7/1/2022.Added by 2021 Ch. 362,§14, eff. 6/28/2021.L. 2021: Entire section added, (SB 21-137), ch. 2367, p. 2367, § 14, effective June 28. For the short title ('Behavioral Health Recovery Act of 2021') and the legislative declaration in SB 21-137, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 362, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.