C.R.S. § 26-1-808: State cross-departmental policy alignment team.

(1) There is created in the state department the state cross-departmental policy alignment team.

(2) The team consists of staff designated by the executive directors of the state departments. The staff designated pursuant to this subsection (2) must have subject matter expertise on the public assistance programs and decision-making authority related to policy and program administration.

(3) The team shall:

(a) Focus on alignment of public assistance program policies to improve service delivery and outcomes for Coloradans, with an emphasis on individuals and families accessing multiple programs and services;

(b) Analyze federal, state, and local policies concerning the administration of the public assistance programs, including the impacts of those policies on other programs and on allocations of available funding for public assistance programs;

(c) Create evidence-based aligned and standardized policy guidance for administering the public assistance programs that enables administrative uniformity and consistency to the extent allowable under federal law;

(d) Annually review the internal policies and procedures utilized by the public assistance programs, as well as progress toward established goals and outcomes, including, but not limited to:

(I) Reducing administrative burden;

(II) Improving cost efficiency;

(III) Decreasing the number of eligible but not enrolled individuals;

(IV) Evaluating benefit amounts;

(V) Assessing participant direct services; and

(VI) Measuring county and program partner performance outcomes in order to identify areas for improvement;

(e) Analyze the impact of and oversee the alignment of significant policy or programmatic changes to the administration of public assistance programs;

(f) Create a process for the state departments to coordinate aligned implementation program guidance and oversight activities for counties, as well as coordinate budget requests across state departments prior to submission; and

(g) Submit quarterly reports to relevant state boards and executive directors of state departments that include a summary of policy items discussed and evidence-based decisions made to date.

(4) The team shall make recommendations to the state departments concerning its findings regarding the items listed in subsection (3) of this section.

(5) Nothing in this section diminishes existing rule-making authority or role of boards or the state departments.