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9C7E3636AEC6703087258A28007A6434 Hearing Summary




PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For BILL REQUESTS

INTERIM COMMITTEE  COLORADO'S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE
Date Sep 12, 2023      
Location HCR 0112



Bill Requests - Approval of Bill Drafts Requests

04:16:54 PM  
Jane Ritter, Office of Legislative Legal Service, explained the bill drafting process for the committee.
04:20:08 PM  
The committee discussed
bill ideas related to a number of child welfare matters, including kinship
care, establishing a system of care, addressing inequities and disparties
in the system, redefining neglect and addressing tools and training for
mandatory reporters.  A copy of a spreadsheet was distributed to the
committee (Attachment R).  (Note - Attachment R was corrected after
the meeting and item numbers may not reflect those referenced during the
meeting discussion.)



The committee discussed the legislative proposals received from Colorado
Counties, Inc. and the Colorado Human Services Directors Association (Attachment
S), the  Kempe Foundation (Attachment T), and the Colorado Department
of Human Services, Behavioral Health Administration, and Department of
Health Care Policy and Financing (Attachment U).



Representative Joseph discussed a bill to requiring translation of treatment
plans for families going through a dependency and neglect cases.  She
provided a handout to the committee outlining the proposal (Attachment
V).
04:45:21 PM  
Melanie Jordan, Policy
Director, Office of the Respondent Parents Counsel, responded to questions
from the committee.
04:50:27 PM  
Committee discussion
about possible bill ideas continued, including conducting an audit and
training on the assessment tool, estabilishing a child welfare case worker
task force as outlined in the letter from the Office of the Colorado Child
Protection Ombudsman (Attachment W), and providing state park passes to
children involved in the child welfare system.  


The committee requested that a letter be drafted to the Joint Technology
Committee regarding the Trails System, including tech debt and the impact
of technology on the child welfare system.  The letter should include
how critical these systems and that child welfare technology projects should
be priortized to better facilitate the child welfare system.



The committee resumed discussion of bill ideas, including returning to
discussion about addressing inequities in and narrow the door to the child
welfare system, addressing child welfare reporting and investigations,
and establishing a standing committee in the Ombudsman's office to address
ongoing child welfare issues and policy issues.
05:33:28 PM  
Committee discussion
ensued.  Representative Joseph removed her suggestion about state
park passes from consideration.
05:34:41 PM  
Ms. Ritter made comments
regarding the bill drafting process. Committee discussion ensued.  Alana
Rosen, Office of the Legislative Legal Services, reviewed the draft bill
ideas discussed by the committee.  


05:38:32 PM
 Motion Draft a bill to address kinship care program gaps.
Moved Zenzinger
Seconded Michaelson Jenet
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:38:35 PM  
Senator Zenzinger
and Representative Bradley were designated as the points of contact on
the bill draft concerning kinship care program gaps.  Following the
meeting, Representative Pugliese replaced Representative Bradley as a point
of contact on the bill draft.


05:40:33 PM
 Motion Draft a bill to establish a system of care as outlined in the letter from Colorado Counties Inc. and the Colorado Human Services Directors Associaiton.
Moved Kirkmeyer
Seconded Kolker
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:40:36 PM  
Senator Kirkmeyer
and Representative Michaelson Jenet were designated as the points of contact
on the bill draft concering the system of care.


05:42:36 PM
 Motion Draft a bill to address inequities in and narrow the door to the child welfare system.
Moved Fields
Seconded Evans
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:42:39 PM  
Senator Fields and
Representatives Evans were designated as the point of contact on the bill
to address inequities in and narrow the door to the child welfare system.


05:43:29 PM
 Motion Draft a bill concerning the Whole Health Coordination for Kids in Care pilot program.

Moved Young
Seconded Michaelson Jenet
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:43:32 PM  
Representative Young
and Senator Fields were designated as the points of contact for the bill
draft concering the Whole Health Coordination for Kids in Care pilot program.


05:45:11 PM
 Motion Draft a bill to address high acuity crisis.
Moved Kirkmeyer
Seconded Young
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:45:14 PM  
Senator Kirkmeyer
and Representative Young were designated as the points of contact on the
bill concenring the high accuity crisis.


05:46:02 PM
 Motion Draft a bill to address translating and creating accessible court-ordered treatment plans.

Moved Bradley
Seconded Duran
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:46:05 PM  
Representative Joseph
and Representative Bradley were designated as the points of contact for
the bill draft concerning translating and creating accessible court-ordered
treatment plans.


05:47:24 PM
 Motion Draft a bill for a third-party audit of the assessment tool, modify tool to include domestic violence assessments, and increase training on the assessment tool.
Moved Kolker
Seconded Zenzinger
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:47:27 PM  
Senator Kolker and
Representative Duran were designated as the points of contact on the bill
draft concerning the assessment tool.


05:48:24 PM
 Motion Draft a bill to create a child welfare worker task force.
Moved Young
Seconded Michaelson Jenet
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:48:27 PM  
Representatives Young
and Michaelson Jenet were designated as the points of contact for the bill
concerning creating a child welfare worker task force.


05:49:14 PM
 Motion Draft a bill concerning accountability, accuracy, and transparency; strengthening the Office of Colorado's Child Protection Ombudsman; reforming child abuse and neglect investigation, reforming anonymous reporting, and addressing Colorado Trails System Requirements.
Moved Evans
Seconded Duran
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:49:16 PM  
Representatives Evans
and Duran were designated as the ponts of contact on the bill draft concerning
accountability, investigations, and anonymous reporting.


05:49:54 PM
 Motion Draft a bill establishing a standing committee in the Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman to address ongoing child welfare issues and policy issues.
Moved Young
Seconded Michaelson Jenet
Bradley
Duran
Evans Remote
Joseph
Kirkmeyer
Kolker
Michaelson Jenet
Weinberg Remote
Zenzinger
Fields
Young
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:49:57 PM  
Representative Young
and Senator Fields were designated as the points of contact on the bill
draft concering establishing a standing child welfare committee.






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