Issue Brief

The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) published a brief detailing its study of how staff at the Division of Youth Services’ youth centers are conducting strip searches of youth in their care. That study revealed concerns that these invasive searches are not always done in accordance with DYS policy and do not […]

Colorado’s adoption assistance program has been in existence for more than 30 years. The program was designed to help children with significant physical and intellectual disorders, hereditary conditions, mental health needs and other circumstances get adopted. Without some form of assistance, many families are unable to adopted and care for these children. The program requires

El Pueblo Boys and Girls Ranch (El Pueblo) served children and youth with complex mental and behavioral health needs. During its last six months of operation, reports concerning youth at the facility nearly doubled. When the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) revoked El Pueblo’s license, it cited a list of concerning incidents and more

In April 2018, the CPO received a call from a Montezuma County citizen who was concerned that a Montezuma County Department of Social Services (MCDSS) caseworker failed to assess 28 child abuse and neglect cases. That call sparked a nine-month investigation by the CPO into the MCDSS’ child welfare case practices. That investigation revealed that

Broken bones, chipped teeth, bruises and cuts. These are some of the injuries suffered by Colorado youth in secure facilities when staff use force to detain them. To be clear, Colorado Department of Human Services Division of Youth Services (DYS) policy allows staff to use force to physically restrain youth who pose a danger or

Every year, the Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) reviews more than 1,000 cases, each of which are brought to the agency by citizens with a concern, frustration or question regarding the state’s child welfare system. By design, the CPO is charged with independently assessing these concerns and helping citizens gain clarity regarding these

Colorado, like many other states in the country, has had a series of high-profile cases that raise questions about the effectiveness of mandatory reporting laws. The Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) has received dozens of inquiries from citizens, professionals and mandatory reporters themselves, seeking clarification regarding what the law requires of them. These

When a child dies in Colorado, there is no consistent and transparent process that guarantees all systems – including law enforcement, schools and hospitals – are notified of their roles. This includes cases in which the child died of abuse and neglect. Conversely, there is no accountability mechanism for ensuring that all systems capable of

Every year, thousands of Colorado children are removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect by their parents or caretakers. These children are often placed in foster care, group homes and/or residential child care facilities. Many have been exposed to drug addiction, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and domestic violence. Some have been

County human service departments respond to 40,000 reports of possible child abuse or neglect throughout Colorado each year. Roughly 100 times a day, child protection workers serve as first responders to these reports, typically by entering families’ homes at their own risk. As the spread of COVID-19 overwhelmed Colorado, the reports of abuse or neglect