2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 19 - CHILDREN'S CODE (§§ 19-1-101 — 19-7-315) › Article 3.3 - OFFICE OF THE CHILD PROTECTION OMBUDSMAN (§§ 19-3.3-101 — 19-3.3-111) › Section 19-3.3-103 - Office of the child protection ombudsman - powers and duties - access to information - confidentiality - testimony - judicial review - definitions

(1)
The ombudsman has the following duties, at a minimum:
(a)
(I)
(A)
To receive complaints concerning child protection services. For the purposes of this section, "complaint" means any report or complaint made by or on behalf of a child relating to any action, inaction, or decision of any public agency or any provider that receives public money that may adversely affect the safety, permanency, or well-being of the child. The ombudsman may, independently and impartially, investigate a complaint, which may include complaints about an incident of egregious abuse or neglect or near fatality, as described in section
26-1-139
, or fatality of a child, as described in part 20.5 of title 25 and section
26-1-139
. The ombudsman may seek resolution of a complaint, which may include but need not be limited to referring a complaint to the state department or appropriate agency or entity and making a recommendation for action relating to a complaint.
(B)
The ombudsman shall treat all complaints received pursuant to subsection (1)(a)(I)(A) of this section as confidential, including the identities of complainants and individuals from whom information is acquired; except that disclosures may be permitted if the ombudsman deems it necessary to enable the ombudsman to perform the ombudsman's duties and to support any recommendations resulting from an investigation. Records relating to complaints received by the office and the investigation of complaints are exempt from public disclosure pursuant to article
72
of title
24
.
(C)
The ombudsman and any employee or person acting on behalf of the ombudsman shall not be compelled to provide oral and written testimony in a civil or criminal proceeding in which the ombudsman is not a legal party. Information, records, or documents requested and reviewed by the ombudsman pursuant to this section are not subject to a subpoena issued to the ombudsman, discovery from the ombudsman, or introduction into evidence through the ombudsman in a civil or criminal proceeding in which the ombudsman is not a legal party. Nothing in this subsection (1)(a)(I)(C) restricts or limits the right to discover or use in a civil or criminal action evidence that is discoverable independent of the proceedings of the ombudsman.
(II)
(A)
In investigating a complaint, the ombudsman has the authority to request, access, and review any information, records, or documents, including records of third parties, that the ombudsman deems necessary to conduct a thorough and independent review of a complaint so long as either the state department or a county department would be entitled to access or receive such information, records, or documents.
(B)
In the course of investigating a complaint pursuant to subsection (1)(a)(I)(A) of this section that is related to a child fatality, near fatality, or incident of egregious abuse or neglect against a child, as defined in section
26-1-139 (2)
, upon request, the state department of human services' child fatality review team, pursuant to section
26-1-139 (5)(e)
, shall provide the ombudsman the final confidential, case-specific review report.
(C)
In the course of investigating a complaint pursuant to subsection (1)(a)(I)(A) of this section that is related to a child fatality, upon request, the department of public health and environment's child fatality prevention review team, pursuant to section
25-20.5-405
, shall provide the ombudsman with the nonidentifying case review findings and recommendations.
(D)
The ombudsman must have access to all information, records, or documents described in subsection (1)(a)(II)(A) of this section created in an investigation of an event or incident described in subsection (1)(a)(II)(A), (1)(a)(II)(B), or (1)(a)(II)(C) of this section occurring in the state from any entity, including but not limited to a coroner's office, law enforcement agency, hospital, court, the office of state registrar of vital statistics described in section
25-2-103
, and a state-licensed out-of-home placement provider, as defined in section
26-5-104
.
(E)
The ombudsman shall request, review, and receive copies of records as described in subsections (1)(a)(II)(A), (1)(a)(II)(B), and (1)(a)(II)(C) of this section without cost if electronic records are not available.
(F)
Nothing in the provisions of subsection (1)(a)(II)(A), (1)(a)(II)(B), or (1)(a)(II)(C) of this section grants subpoena power to the ombudsman for purposes of investigating a complaint pursuant to subsection (1)(a)(II)(A), (1)(a)(II)(B), or (1)(a)(II)(C) of this section.
(III)
The ombudsman shall refer any complaints relating to the judicial department and judicial proceedings, including but not limited to complaints concerning the conduct of judicial officers or attorneys of record, judicial determinations, and court processes and procedures to the appropriate entity or agency within the judicial department.
(a.5)
(I)
Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the ombudsman may self-initiate an independent and impartial investigation and ongoing review of the safety and well-being of an unaccompanied immigrant child who lives in a state-licensed residential child care facility, as defined in section
26-6-903
, and who is in the custody of the office of refugee resettlement of the federal department of health and human services as set forth in
8 U.S.C. sec. 1232
et seq. The ombudsman may seek resolution of such investigation and ongoing review, which may include, but need not be limited to, referring an investigation and ongoing review to the state department or appropriate agency or entity and making a recommendation for action relating to an investigation and ongoing review.
(II)
(A)
In self-initiating an investigation and ongoing review of the safety and well-being of an unaccompanied immigrant child who lives in a state-licensed residential child care facility, the ombudsman has the authority to request, review, and receive copies of any information, records, or documents, including records of third parties, that the ombudsman deems necessary to conduct a thorough and independent investigation and ongoing review as described in subsection (1)(a.5)(I) of this section, without cost to the ombudsman.
(B)
A state-licensed residential child care facility shall notify the ombudsman and the state department within three days after the arrival of an unaccompanied immigrant child.
(C)
The ombudsman may create and distribute outreach materials to a state-licensed residential child care facility and to individuals who may have regular contact with an unaccompanied immigrant child.
(III)
As used in this subsection (1)(a.5), "unaccompanied immigrant child" means a child under the age of eighteen years, without lawful immigration status in the United States, who has been designated an unaccompanied child and transferred to the custody of the office of refugee resettlement of the federal department of health and human services pursuant to federal law.
(b)
To evaluate and make a recommendation to the executive director and any appropriate agency or entity for the creation of a statewide grievance policy that is accessible by children and families within the child protection system and that is transparent and accountable;
(c)
To report, as required by the provisions of section
19-3.3-108
, concerning the actions of the ombudsman related to the goals and duties of the office;
(d)
To review the memorandum of understanding between the office and the judicial department and renegotiate such memorandum of understanding at any time as the office and the judicial department mutually deem appropriate;
(e)
To act on behalf of the office and serve as signator for the office;
(f)
To ensure accountability and consistency in the operating policies and procedures, including reasonable rules to administer the provisions of this article and any other standards of conduct and reporting requirements as provided by law; and
(g)
To serve or designate a person to serve on the youth restraint and seclusion working group pursuant to section
26-20-110 (1)(i)
.
(2)
The ombudsman has the following powers, at a minimum:
(a)
To review issues raised by members of the community relating to child protection policies or procedures and make recommendations to the appropriate agency or entity concerning those issues;
(b)
To review and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of any existing grievance resolution mechanisms and to make recommendations to the general assembly, executive director, and any appropriate agency or entity for the improvement of the grievance resolution mechanisms;
(c)
To help educate the public concerning child maltreatment and the role of the community in strengthening families and keeping children safe;
(d)
To promote best practices and effective programs relating to a publicly funded child protection system and to work collaboratively with county departments, when appropriate, regarding improvement of processes;
(e)
To recommend to the general assembly, the executive director, and any appropriate agency or entity statutory, budgetary, regulatory, and administrative changes, including systemic changes, to improve the safety of and promote better outcomes for children and families receiving child protection services in Colorado; and
(f)
To request, access, and review information, records, or documents received pursuant to subsection (1)(a)(II) of this section.
(3)
The ombudsman, employees of the office, and any persons acting on behalf of the office shall comply with all state and federal confidentiality laws that govern the department of early childhood, the state department, or a county department with respect to the treatment of confidential information or records and the disclosure of such information and records.
(4)
Nothing in this article shall be construed to direct or authorize the ombudsman to intervene in any criminal or civil judicial proceeding or to interfere in a criminal investigation.
(5)
In the performance of the ombudsman's duties, the ombudsman shall act independently of the division within the department of early childhood that is responsible for child care, of the divisions within the state department that are responsible for child welfare or youth services, of the county departments of human or social services, and of all judicial agencies, including, but not limited to, the office of the child's representative, the office of the respondent parents' counsel, the office of state public defender, the office of alternate defense counsel, and the office of attorney regulation counsel. Any recommendations made by the ombudsman or positions taken by the ombudsman do not reflect those of the department of early childhood, state department, judicial department, or county departments of human or social services.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 123, § 42, eff. 7/1/2022.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 416, § 1, eff. 7/2/2021.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 324, § 1, eff. 6/24/2021.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 25, § 4, eff. 3/7/2018.
Amended by 2017 Ch. 381, § 43, eff. 6/6/2017.
Amended by 2016 Ch. 102, § 2, eff. 4/15/2016.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 264,§ 15, eff. 6/2/2015.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 264,§ 2, eff. 6/2/2015.
Amended by 2014 Ch. 280, § 3, eff. 5/29/2014.
L. 2010: Entire article added, (SB 10-171), ch. 976, p. 976, § 1, effective May 14. L. 2014: IP(1) and IP(2) amended, (SB 14-201), ch. 1137, p. 1137, § 3, effective May 29. L. 2015: (1)(a)(I)(A), (1)(a)(II)(B), (1)(c), (2)(b), (2)(e), (3), and (5) amended, (SB 15-204), ch. 264, pp. 1026, 1031, §§ 2, 15, effective June 2. L. 2016: (1)(b) and (1)(c) amended and (1)(d), (1)(e), and (1)(f) added, (SB 16 -013), ch. 294, p. 294, § 2, effective April 15. L. 2017: (5) amended, (HB 17-1329), ch. 1978, p. 1978, § 43, effective June 6. L. 2018: (1)(e) and (1)(f) amended and (1)(g) added, (HB 18 -1010), ch. 283, p. 283, § 4, effective March 7. L. 2021: (1)(a)(I), (1)(a)(II), (2)(d), and (2)(e) amended and (2)(f) added, (HB 21-1272), ch. 1984, p. 1984, § 1, effective June 24; (1)(a.5) added, (HB 21-1313), ch. 2768, p. 2768, § 1, effective July 2.