The final report from the Timothy Montoya Task Force has been published and is available for download. See Report

News

A photo of Timothy Montoya and his mother Elizabeth at a balloon rally. Timothy is smiling, standing in front of his mother as hot air balloons inflate on the ground behind them.

Colorado Task Force Releases Groundbreaking Recommendations to Prevent Youth from Running Away from Out-of-Home Care

Members of a task force created by the Colorado General Assembly believe Colorado can be a national leader when it comes to how it prevents and finds youth who run away from placement in foster care and residential treatment facilities.  In its final report, The Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Children from Running Away […]

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Resource Materials for Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Youth from Running from Out-of-Home Placement

12-year-old Timothy Montoya was hit and killed by a car shortly after running away from out-of-home care in June 2020.  In response to this tragic death – and to the dangerous circumstances experienced by many other youths who have run from out-of-home care – the Colorado legislature established the Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent

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Colorado Capitol Building

Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman calls for better surveillance in Colorado secure youth centers to protect young people from use of force injuries.

Click here to download the full issue brief It’s not uncommon for young people in Colorado youth detention facilities to suffer fractured bones, broken teeth, cuts and deep bruises as staff attempt to physically restrain them. Videos of use of force incidents in Colorado Department of Human Services-Division of Youth Services (DYS) facilities during the

Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman calls for better surveillance in Colorado secure youth centers to protect young people from use of force injuries. Read More »

Learning Lessons from Other States to Help Improve Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Mandatory Reporting Laws

Laws regarding child abuse and neglect are largely created by state governments. This means that there are, essentially, 50 different approaches to protect youth and stop abuse and neglect. Increasingly, states have started to examine these systems and ask a crucial question: Do child abuse and neglect mandatory reporting laws prevent child abuse and neglect

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Child Protection Ombudsman voices concerns to child welfare interim committee

The CPO appeared before the Colorado Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee on June 27 to present on four critical issues facing children and families involved in the state’s child welfare and protection systems. “As we look for solutions, we must think about accountability and transparency along a continuum for all of us stakeholders,” said

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CPO Board of Directors applications open

Applications for three vacancies on the 12-member Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Board of Directors are now open through the Colorado Governor’s Office and Colorado Judicial Branch. The CPO Board meets virtually or in a hybrid format for three hours every other month to review agency documents, such as financial reports, meeting minutes

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New research captures voices of youth who have run away from out-of-home placements

The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman released a new report from the University of Denver’s Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab that provides an unprecedented look at the lived experiences of youth who have run away from foster care or residential treatment facilities as well as the experiences of current treatment providers. “Not all

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Analyst assists out-of-state mother with her Colorado son’s fentanyl addiction and unsafe living situation

A mother living in another state called our agency seeking help for her son, who was living with his father in Colorado. She was concerned about her son’s fentanyl addiction and safety. An assessment by the local county human services agency had been opened after her son violently acted out towards his father, threatened self-harm

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