2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 19 - CHILDREN'S CODE (§§ 19-1-101 — 19-7-315) › Article 3 - DEPENDENCY AND NEGLECT (§§ 19-3-100.5 — 19-3-905) › Part 9 - TASK FORCE ON HIGH-QUALITY PARENTING TIME (§§ 19-3-901 — 19-3-905) › Section 19-3-904 - Task force - purposes - issues to study - written reports

(1)
The purpose of the task force is to:
(a)
Study current laws, rules, and practices followed in the state including current capacity for supervised parenting time in dependency and neglect cases where children have been removed from a parent;
(b)
Study and review research and best practices for parenting time in dependency and neglect cases while ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants;
(c)
Study best practices for judicial review of family time and parenting time plans;
(d)
Evaluate the rights and remedies for parents and children or youth pertaining to parenting time, including sibling family time;
(e)
Consider whether the statutes and legal standards for ordering parenting time are consistent with best practices;
(f)
Consider whether current language in the "Colorado Children's Code" and rules should be updated or modernized, including replacing the term "visitation" with "parenting time" or "family time";
(g)
Study best practices to meet the developmental needs of youth through parenting time in a trauma-informed manner;
(h)
Study best practices for parenting time with incarcerated parents;
(i)
Study best practices for use of levels of supervised parenting time and consistency in the availability and definitions of different levels of supervised parenting time;
(j)
Recommend necessary changes to statute and rule to effectuate the recommended practices; and
(k)
Recommend best practices to ensure that families across the state have consistent access to high-quality parenting time where children are in out-of-home care.
(2)
In carrying out the purposes set forth in subsection (1) of this section, the task force shall consider:
(a)
The United States constitution and state constitution, case law, statutes, rules, practices, and standards that govern family parenting time or family time in Colorado;
(b)
Best practices followed in other states or recommended by national child welfare experts to provide and determine parenting time plans that are in the best interests of children and which promote positive outcomes for families;
(c)
Federal guidance from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families regarding best practices in parenting time and visitation for children and youth in out-of-home care; and
(d)
Juvenile codes and rules from other states implementing best practices in parenting time.
(3)
The task force shall consider and recommend:
(a)
The best practices in parenting time for children placed in out-of-home care;
(b)
Changes to statute, rule, and practice necessary to implement the recommendations;
(c)
Considerations to ensure fair and equal access to high-quality parenting time for all families, including recommendations to ensure that culturally appropriate and inclusive services are equally available across the state; and
(d)
Identification of barriers to implementing best practices across the state and recommendations for addressing the barriers.
(4)
On or before October 1, 2022, the task force shall submit a written report to the governor; the state department; the child welfare training academy; the joint budget committee; and the house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or any successor committees. The report must include, but is not limited to, the task force's findings concerning best practices to improve high-quality parenting time services and practices in dependency and neglect cases and recommendations concerning necessary changes in state statute and administrative rules to implement those best practices and recommendations.
(5)
On or before December 1, 2024, the task force shall commission and evaluate a statewide study to:
(a)
Identify the current strengths and needs for providing high-quality supervised family time services across the state;
(b)
Identify necessary measures to build capacity to provide high-quality supervised family time services across the state;
(c)
Inventory current funding sources and allowable costs for providing such services; and
(d)
Make recommendations regarding best practices for funding high-quality parenting time. The task force shall provide the study and recommendations of the task force to the governor; the state department; the child welfare training academy; the joint budget committee; and the house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or any successor committees.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 284,§ 20, eff. 6/1/2023.
Amended by 2023 Ch. 284,§ 5, eff. 6/1/2023.
Added by 2021 Ch. 481, § 5, eff. 7/7/2021.
L. 2021: Entire part added, (HB 21-1101), ch. 3433, p. 3433, § 5, effective July 7.