HB 25-1200

House Bill 25-1200 in Colorado updates and clarifies the responsibilities of the Child Protection Ombudsman, a role focused on investigating complaints related to child protection services. The bill specifies when the ombudsman can conduct investigations, what kind of information they have access to, and how they maintain confidentiality. It also allows the ombudsman to visit residential care facilities for children in certain situations, such as responding to requests from a child or their family member. Since the bill has been signed into law, these changes are now official and will affect how the Child Protection Ombudsman operates going forward.

Official Summary

The act reorganizes and updates statutes pertaining to the duties of the office of the child protection ombudsman (office) and the child protection ombudsman (ombudsman). The act: Clarifies when the ombudsman may receive and conduct an independent and impartial investigation of complaints concerning child protection services; Clarifies the types of information, documents, or records that the ombudsman does and does not have access to; Reorganizes statutes that pertain to when an ombudsman investigates a complaint; Reorganizes statutes that pertain to the ombudsman's duties; Reorganizes and creates a new provision that pertains to the office's access to information necessary to conduct an independent review of a complaint; Reorganizes and creates a new provision focused on the office's and ombudsman's duty to confidentiality; and Provides the office access to residential child care facilities and facilities established and operated by the department of human services (facilities). The office may only access facilities in coordination with the facility directors in response to a request from a child or youth residing in the facility; in response to a request from a child's or youth's family member, caregiver, or other concerned individual; or to distribute materials created by the office informing children or youth on how to access the office, the office's services, and how to file a complaint with the office.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes