Opportunity Overview
Colorado’s School Health Services Program (Medicaid Reimbursement) is an active state-administered funding mechanism that allows Colorado school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to claim Medicaid reimbursement for covered health services provided in schools. The Colorado Department of Education also provides training and resources for the Local Services Plan required for participation.
Current Participation Timeline
CDE’s current program page lists the following dates for new programs and the 2022-27 cohort renewing its Local Services Plan:
- Initial review draft: April 1, 2027
- Final Local Services Plan submission: May 3, 2027
The same page states that the FY 2025-26 Reimbursement Spending Report opens October 1, 2026 and is due February 26, 2027.
No submission time or time zone is published for the April 1 or May 3 Local Services Plan dates on the current authoritative CDE page. Atlas therefore treats those exact deadlines as incomplete for cold-outreach gating and does not infer a time zone.
Eligibility and Funding Structure
The program is for Colorado school districts and BOCES. CDE states that districts can claim for Medicaid-covered services provided in schools and maintains a current list of participating districts and BOCES. This is a Medicaid reimbursement program rather than a fixed competitive grant award, and the current public program page does not publish a per-applicant maximum award amount.
The current public page does not state a conventional grant match or cost-share requirement. Participation is instead governed by School Health Services program rules, Medicaid claiming requirements, a Local Services Plan, and related program reporting.
Required Program Materials and Submission Mechanics
CDE publishes the current 2026-27 program timeline and cohort groups, the School Health Services Program Manual, 2027 Local Services Plan Guidelines, a 2027-2032 five-year Local Services Plan template, an assurances page, a revision companion form, a health-needs-assessment resource, and an expenditure-allowability support document. CDE also provides a School Health Services learning tool for new and existing participants.
For FY 2025-26 reimbursement reporting, CDE provides a dedicated online submission link plus a worksheet and narrative-support resource. Organizations considering new participation should work directly with CDE and HCPF before relying on any submission assumption that is not stated in the current program materials.
Program Contacts
CDE lists Andria Thornhill, Medicaid Consultant for School Health Services, at thornhill_a@cde.state.co.us and 720-926-6135. HCPF lists hcpf_schoolhealthservices@state.co.us and 303-866-4234. CDE’s September 2026 update specifically tells districts and BOCES to email the HCPF School Health Services address to schedule a meeting about reimbursement opportunities.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 96/100. This is a highly relevant Colorado school-health funding vehicle because it directly supports Medicaid reimbursement for health services already provided to students and creates an ongoing financial pathway for eligible districts and BOCES to strengthen school health capacity.
N9+ Fit Score: 28/100, conditional. The program reimburses covered health services; it is not a device procurement or telehealth equipment solicitation. Atlas found no authoritative statement establishing the Nonagon N9+ device and platform itself as a reimbursable program cost. Any future N9+ role would therefore require a separately verified district clinical need, a covered-service pathway, applicable Medicaid and school-health rules, and confirmation that the proposed cost treatment is allowable. Atlas should not characterize the program as funding the device without that verification. QC Healthcare direct-vendor fit is also low because the current program materials establish a district/BOCES reimbursement pathway rather than a vendor solicitation.
Next Action
Colorado districts or BOCES interested in new participation should review the current 2026-27 program materials and contact CDE/HCPF to confirm participation steps for the 2027 Local Services Plan cycle. Because the authoritative current page does not publish a time or time zone for the April 1 and May 3, 2027 Local Services Plan deadlines, Atlas will not initiate new cold applicant outreach on the basis of those dates unless the missing deadline detail is authoritatively resolved.
Official sources: Colorado Department of Education School Health Services Program (Medicaid Reimbursement); September 2026 CDE Update.