Candidate Jordan Steffen has been selected as a finalist for the position of ombudsman. If you have comments you would like to contribute regarding this candidate, please do so by fourteen days after the posting of this notice, or Monday, April 27, 2026, by 12:00 PM. These comments will be provided to Board members and considered by the Board at its publicly scheduled meeting on Monday, April 27, 2026, by 1:30 PM. Comments can be submitted via email. Email Comments

Featured News: Home

Task Force reviews existing language, regulations and data for youth running away

The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) hosted the fourth meeting of the Timothy Montoya Task Force on Wednesday as the group began its analysis of current language, laws and data concerning children and youth who run away from out-of-home placements. “Today was a really rich conversation and the task force was provided […]

Task Force reviews existing language, regulations and data for youth running away Read More »

Mandatory Reporting Task Force convenes for second meeting

The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) hosted the second meeting of the Mandatory Reporting Task Force on Wednesday as stakeholders began the process of evaluating the effectiveness of the state’s child abuse reporting law. “Today was the first step in taking a global look at the impact mandatory reporting has had on

Mandatory Reporting Task Force convenes for second meeting Read More »

CPO hosts third meeting of Timothy Montoya Task Force

During its third meeting Wednesday, the Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Children from Running Away from Out-of-Home Placement explored the systems that respond to youth when they run from out-of-home placements. The group also listened to researchers present two compelling studies on who runs away and why. “What we are doing here is really

CPO hosts third meeting of Timothy Montoya Task Force Read More »

CPO hosts first Mandatory Reporting Task Force meeting

The Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) hosted multidisciplinary stakeholders from across the state Wednesday in the inaugural meeting of the new Mandatory Reporting Task Force that will address the state’s child abuse reporting law. “I think Colorado is one of the best places for us to make public policy change for children and

CPO hosts first Mandatory Reporting Task Force meeting Read More »

Timothy Montoya Task Force meets during National Runaway Prevention Month

Coinciding with National Runaway Prevention Month, the second meeting of the Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Children from Running Away from Out-of-Home Placement was hosted by the Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) on Wednesday. Task force members began the meeting by discussing their takeaways from September’s inaugural meeting where they heard the

Timothy Montoya Task Force meets during National Runaway Prevention Month Read More »

Searching for the Why: Understanding Why Children Run from Residential Treatment Centers Will Help Us Ensure Their Safety

Youth in our state’s residential treatment facilities are running away in record numbers. This is not news. Rather, it is a three-decades-old problem that is long overdue for a solution. In May 2021, The Colorado Sun and 9News did a three-part series on the seriousness of the situation in Colorado. The series highlighted a broken

Searching for the Why: Understanding Why Children Run from Residential Treatment Centers Will Help Us Ensure Their Safety Read More »

A New Approach: How a New Method of Investigating Allegations of Child Abuse and Neglect Can Help Children and Their Caregivers

The CPO discusses how one study may inform the way Colorado responds to child abuse and neglect investigations. On May 26, 2021, Tiffany Madrid, the CPO’s Director of Legislative Affairs and Policy, sat down with Dr. Kristin Klopfenstein (bottom window), the director of the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab and Dr. Anne DePrince (top left

A New Approach: How a New Method of Investigating Allegations of Child Abuse and Neglect Can Help Children and Their Caregivers Read More »

An afternoon with the Child Protection Ombudsman Board chairs

The CPO’s Karen Nielsen, Director of Administrative Services, sat down with the CPO Board’s first chair and his successor to discuss how the agency has grown and changed. The primary purpose of this exclusive interview is to share with you how the Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman Board was created and to introduce you

An afternoon with the Child Protection Ombudsman Board chairs Read More »