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Dear Mental Health Licensee/Stakeholder:
Effective April 27, 2020, Governor Jared Polis issued Executive Order D 2020 044 directing Colorado to enter the new Safer at Home phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Order, based on ongoing trends towards “flattening the curve” of virus spread, shifted June 1, 2020 into the Safer at Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors portion of the state’s Coronavirus response. Executive Order D 2020 091 enacts a number of measures both indoors and outdoors, including allowing Coloradans to return and/or continue work while maintaining a sustainable level of social distancing.
Numerous Executive and Public Health Orders (PHOs) have been issued during and since that time, including those addressing telehealth services, emergency insurance regulations concerning telehealth coverage and reimbursement, and ongoing infection control guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) for both medical and limited healthcare settings that are applicable, but don’t specifically address, behavioral health care providers.
DORA recognizes that these orders, while detailed, do not necessarily reach the level of specificity many of our regulated professions desire during this unprecedented period. Additionally, we know that businesses and professionals are being asked to absorb information from a wide variety of sources. In an effort to provide not only additional clarity on industry and business-specific safety measures, but also to synthesize information from many state of Colorado sources, we have compiled the following guidance.
The Guidance for Mental Health Professionals in Medical, Behavioral, and Limited Healthcare Settings synthesizes infection control information from CDPHE, while also providing information from the Centers for Disease Control, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and other sources to provide a reference for Colorado professionals working in the mental health fields during this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Please continue to visit the Safer at Home website for the most information, as the pandemic response is an evolving process. DORA will endeavor to pass along updated guidance and information as it is available.
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