Section 26-6.8-104 - Colorado youth mentoring services(1)Short title. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Colorado Youth Mentoring Services Act".(2)Legislative declaration.(a) The general assembly finds and declares that mentoring programs have been active in Colorado for many years. The general assembly finds that national research has indicated that structured mentoring programs are effective tools in combating youth substance use, youth crime and violence, and other challenges faced by youth. The general assembly further finds, based upon recent national research results, that youth who are matched in professionally supported mentoring relationships are less likely to become involved in substance and alcohol use, less likely to be truant, less likely to commit violent acts against other persons, and more likely to show improvements in academic performance and positive peer relations.(b) The general assembly further finds that, despite the positive results that may be achieved through structured youth mentoring programs, counties in the state of Colorado do not have the organizational resources necessary to carry out successful mentoring programs or lack volunteers to establish such programs, or both. The general assembly finds that even counties in which there are established youth mentoring programs, such programs are unable to meet the demand for mentors.(c) The general assembly therefore declares and determines that the provision of youth mentoring services that would use public and private entities to recruit, train, screen, and supervise volunteers to serve as mentors for youth would be beneficial and in the best interests of the citizens of the state of Colorado.(3)Definition. For purposes of this section, "youth" means a person who is five years of age or older but under twenty-five years of age and who is challenged by such risk factors as poverty, residence in a substance-abusing household, family conflict, association with peers who commit crimes, residence in a single-parent household, exhibition of indicia of delinquent behavior, or being the victim of child abuse.(4)Provision of youth mentoring services. There is created the Colorado youth mentoring program to provide state funding for the provision of evidence-informed youth mentoring services in an effort to reduce youth substance use, decrease the incidents of youth crime and violence, and increase protective factors for youth. The funding must be used to provide evidence-informed youth mentoring services in communities that do not have existing mentoring programs as well as to enhance established evidence-informed youth mentoring programs that are already in existence.(5)Administration - duties of contracting entities.(a) To be eligible for money from the youth mentoring services cash fund created in subsection (6) of this section for the provision of evidence-informed youth mentoring services, an entity must apply to the board in accordance with the timelines and guidelines adopted by the board pursuant to section 26-6.8-103 and must meet the requirements of subsection (5)(b) of this section.(b) An entity selected by the board to provide an evidence-informed youth mentoring program shall: (I) Adhere to evidence-informed standards of practice. An evidence-informed youth mentoring program uses a model that is evaluated annually and incorporates research evidence into its design and delivery. An entity that is awarded a grant shall annually demonstrate proof that evidence-informed standards are applied throughout the program. An entity must demonstrate proof that it applies evidence-informed standards by presenting current proof of compliance for achievement from an evaluation concerning the application of evidence-informed standards administered by an outside organization; and(II) Ensure mentoring is the primary service provided by the program and make intentional matches or formal connections between youths and mentors.(c) Community-based organizations may obtain private and public funds, grants, gifts, or donations for youth mentoring programs. The executive director may accept and expend on behalf of the state any funds, grants, gifts, or donations from any private or public source for the purpose of implementing this section; except that the executive director shall not accept a grant or donation if the conditions attached to the grant or donation require the expenditure thereof in a manner contrary to law.(d) Entities selected to receive grants pursuant to this section for the provision of youth mentoring services shall match any grant received with a contribution that is the equivalent of twenty percent of the grant awarded.(6)Youth mentoring services cash fund. There is created in the state treasury the youth mentoring services cash fund, referred to in this subsection (6) as the "fund". The money in the fund is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly for the direct and indirect costs of implementing this section. All unexpended and unencumbered money appropriated to the fund at the end of a fiscal year remains available for expenditure by the state department for youth mentoring services in the following fiscal year without further appropriation and must not be transferred or revert to the general fund at the end of the fiscal year. The executive director may accept on behalf of the state any grants, gifts, or donations from any private or public source for the purpose of this section. All private and public money received through grants, gifts, or donations must be transmitted to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the fund. The general assembly may appropriate money from the marijuana tax cash fund created in section 39-28.8-501. All investment earnings derived from the deposit and investment of money in the fund remains in the fund and must not be transferred or revert to the general fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year.Amended by 2022 Ch. 23, § 4, eff. 3/17/2022.Amended by 2018 Ch. 253, § 7, eff. 8/8/2018.Amended by 2015 Ch. 271, § 15, eff. 6/4/2015.Renumbered from C.R.S. § 25-20.5-203 and amended by 2013 Ch. 169, § 5, eff. 7/1/2013.L. 2013: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 13-1117), ch. 169, p. 578, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2015: (6) amended, (HB 15-1367), ch. 271, p. 1077, § 15, effective June 4. L. 2018: (6) amended, (HB 18-1369), ch. 253, p. 1556, § 7, effective August 8.This section is similar to former § 25-20.5-203 as it existed prior to 2013.
For the legislative declaration in HB 15-1367, see section 1 of chapter 271, Session Laws of Colorado 2015. For the legislative declaration in HB 18-1369, see section 1 of chapter 253, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.