(1) (a) There is hereby created the medication-assisted treatment expansion pilot program to provide grants to community agencies, office-based practices, behavioral health organizations, and substance abuse treatment organizations to enable:

(I) Nurse practitioners or physician assistants working in those settings to obtain training and ongoing support required under the federal act in order to prescribe buprenorphine and all other medications and therapies approved by the federal food and drug administration as part of medication-assisted treatment provided to individuals with an opioid use disorder; and

(II) Those agencies, practices, and organizations to provide behavioral therapies and support in conjunction with medication-assisted treatment for individuals with an opioid use disorder.

(b) The MAT expansion pilot program is available to provide grants to community agencies, office-based practices, behavioral health organizations, and substance abuse treatment organizations practicing or providing treatment in Pueblo county or Routt county.

(2) A grant recipient may use the money received through the pilot program for the following purposes:

(a) To enable nurse practitioners or physician assistants practicing or working in the grant recipient's setting in the pilot program area to obtain the training required to be a qualified nurse practitioner or physician assistant in order to prescribe buprenorphine and all other medications and therapies approved by the federal food and drug administration as part of medication-assisted treatment for individuals with opioid use disorders; and

(b) To increase access to medication-assisted treatment for individuals with opioid use disorders in the pilot program area.

(3) The college of nursing shall administer the MAT expansion pilot program and, subject to available appropriations, shall award grants as provided in this part 8 starting as soon as practicable in the 2017-18 fiscal year, but no later than January 2018. Subject to available appropriations, grants shall be paid out of money annually appropriated for the pilot program as provided in section 23-21-808.

(4) The college of nursing shall implement the MAT expansion pilot program in accordance with this part 8 and shall develop, with assistance from and in coordination with the advisory board, pilot program guidelines and procedures as necessary to implement the pilot program, including guidelines and procedures specifying the time frames for applying for grants; the form of the pilot program grant application; the time frames for distributing grant money, technical assistance, and consultation to grant recipients; and evaluation of the pilot program.