I_CCWSISC_2023A 09/12/2023 09:02:16 AM Committee Summary PUBLICSTAFF SUMMARY OF MEETINGINTERIM COMMITTEE COLORADO'S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE Date 09/12/2023 Attendance Bradley X Duran X Evans R Joseph X Kirkmeyer X Kolker X Michaelson Jenet X Weinberg R Zenzinger X Fields * Young X Time 09:02:16 AM to 05:51:26 PM Place HCR 0112 This Meeting was called to order by Young This Report was prepared by Jerard Brown Hearing Items Action Taken hCall to Order and Opening Remarks Committee Discussion Only hPresentation on Child Welfare Funding Committee Discussion Only hPresentation on Adoption Committee Discussion Only hPresentation from the High-quality Parenting Time Task Force Committee Discussion Only hPresentation on Safety Assessment Tool Committee Discussion Only hQ&A with Safety Assessment Tool Panelists Committee Discussion Only hPresentation on Overrepresented Populations in Colorado’s Child Welfare System Committee Discussion Only hPublic Testimony Committee Discussion Only hBill Requests Approval of Bill Drafts Requests Call to Order and Opening Remarks - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment A http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/1A79F52BE9B9...$File/Attachment A.pdf?OpenElement Attachment A.pdf 09:03:12 AM Representative Young, Chair, provided an overview of the meeting agenda (Attachment A). Presentation on Child Welfare Funding - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment B http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/704B7C017C04...$File/Attachment B.pdf?OpenElement Attachment B.pdf Attachment C http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/EB38802F26CE...$File/Attachment C.pdf?OpenElement Attachment C.pdf Attachment D http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/52ACCE1A81DB...$File/Attachment D.pdf?OpenElement Attachment D.pdf 09:04:26 AM Emily Hansen, Senior Legislative Budget and Policy Analyst, Joint Budget Committee Staff; Minna Castillo, Director, Office of Children Youth and Families, Colorado Department of Human Services; Mollie Bradlee, Deputy Director, Office of Children Youth and Families, Colorado Department of Human Services; Matthew Sundeen, Accountable Care Collaborative Program Management and Section Manager, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF); Commissioner Wendy Buxton-Andrade, Prowers County and County Co-Chair of Colorado's Child Welfare Allocation Committee; and Mimi Scheuermann, Chief Operating Officer and Acting Executive Director, Denver Human Services, presented to the committee on child welfare funding. 09:07:05 AM Ms. Hansen reviewed a memo provided to the committee (Attachment B). 09:15:11 AM Committee members asked Ms. Hansen questions. 09:17:43 AM Ms. Castillo presented on recent changes to child welfare funding. A copy of the presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment C). 09:31:52 AM Ms. Bradlee continued the presentation and covered potential changes to child welfare funding. 09:40:04 AM Committee members asked the panel questions about the child welfare funding model and workload studies. 10:10:13 AM Ms. Scheuermann and Commissioner Buxton-Andrade presented on the county's perspective regarding child welfare funding needs. 10:27:45 AM Jamison Lee, Chief Financial Officer, Office of Children Youth and Families, Colorado Department of Human Services, and Lennie Bottorff, Fiscal Manager, Weld County Department of Human Services, joined the panel to answer questions from the committee. 10:29:05 AM Committee members asked the panelists questions about how to fully fund child welfare in Colorado, how prevention services fit into the conversation around funding, and the impact underfunding has on families. 11:14:30 AM Mr. Sundeen continued the presentation and provided an overview of HCPF's role in child welfare. A copy of the presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment D). 11:35:32 AM Committee members continued to ask the panel questions. Presentation on Adoption - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment E http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/C43271032EC5...$File/Attachment E.pdf?OpenElement Attachment E.pdf Attachment F http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/945F65965038...$File/Attachment F.pdf?OpenElement Attachment F.pdf 11:57:23 AM Korey Elger, Permanency Manager, Colorado Department of Human Services, and Jonathan Anderson, Deputy Division Manager, Children Youth, and Families, Larimer County Department of Human Services, presented to the committee on the adoption process in Colorado. A copy of the presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment E). 12:12:43 PM Ann Ayers, Chief Executive Officer, Raise the Future, and Lucinda Wayland Connelly, Vice President of Programs, Raise the Future, presented to the committee. They discussed gaps in supports for families with adopted children in Colorado, the Wendy's Wonderful Kids model, and children that have left the child welfare system without a permanent placement. A copy of the presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment F). 12:27:13 PM Committees members asked the panelists questions. 12:31:35 PM The committee recessed. Presentation from the High-quality Parenting Time Task Force - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment G http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/856ECFF2BC4E...$File/Attachment G.pdf?OpenElement Attachment G.pdf Attachment H http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/F480DB9B7175...$File/Attachment H.pdf?OpenElement Attachment H.pdf 12:52:16 PM The committee came back to order. 12:53:39 PM Melanie Jordan, Chair, High Quality Parenting Time Task Force, presented to the committee. A copy of her presentation and how to access supplemental materials was provided to the committee (Attachments G and H). She provided information about the work of the task force, including the identified benefits of family time and the results of a survey conducted on family time. Ms. Jordan discussed the recent closer of the Central Visitation Program, which was a large provider of visitation services. 01:04:33 PM Ms. Jordan continued by discussing House Bill 23-1027, concerning family time provided pursuant to the Children's Code. Presentation on Safety Assessment Tool - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment I http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/ED25FCEC9DB7...$File/Attachment I.pdf?OpenElement Attachment I.pdf 01:09:02 PM Joe Homlar, Director, Division of Child Welfare, Colorado Department of Human Services, presented to the committee on the safety assessment tool. A copy of the presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment I). He provided information about the risk assessment and safety assessment tools used by child welfare caseworkers. 01:17:23 PM Dr. Becky Orsi-Hunt, Kempe Center, presented to the committee on the Colorado Family Safety Assessment. She discussed provided historical information about the safety assessment tool, factors in decision making in child welfare cases, and including those with lived experience in future revisions to the tool. Dr. Ida Drury, Kempe Center, discussed the Colorado Child Welfare Training System and the challenges case workers face when using the tool, such as the amount of information disclosed by families. 01:29:15 PM Mimi Scheuermann, Chief Operating Officer and Acting Executive Director, Denver Human Services, presented on how casekworkers use the Safety Assessment Tool. Q&A with Safety Assessment Tool Panelists - Committee Discussion Only 01:35:04 PM The panelists responded to questions from the committee regarding the safety assessment tool and other child welfare matters. 02:01:10 PM The panelists continued to respond to questions from the committee. Presentation on Overrepresented Populations in Colorado’s Child Welfare System - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment J http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/1DAF49E8D677...$File/Attachment J.pdf?OpenElement Attachment J.pdf Attachment K http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/65E332417A23...$File/Attachment K.pdf?OpenElement Attachment K.pdf Attachment L http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/AFA1F6C08D5E...$File/Attachment L.pdf?OpenElement Attachment L.pdf Attachment M http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/99FD50001152...$File/Attachment M.pdf?OpenElement Attachment M.pdf Attachment N http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/F23666F5E7BB...$File/Attachment N.pdf?OpenElement Attachment N.pdf Attachment O http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/4C657BFE3468...$File/Attachment O.pdf?OpenElement Attachment O.pdf 02:08:58 PM The committee recessed. 02:10:13 PM The committee came back to order. 02:11:02 PM Crystal Ward Allan, Senior Director Strategic Consulting, Casey Family Programs, and Steve Ellis, Data Advocacy Analyst, Casey Family Programs, presented to the committee. The presentation was provided to the committee (Attachment J). Additionally, a copy of a presentation from Doris Tolliver, Principal, Health Management Associates, was provided to the committee (Attachment K). Mr. Ellis reviewed Colorado child welfare data related to race. 02:21:38 PM Ms. Allen Ward discussed the overall trends in Colorado data and the need to establish and support systems that support all types of families. She discussed national approaches to advance race equity in the area of child welfare, as well as the Colorado Kinnected Kinship Navigator Program and Family Connects Program. Ms. Allen Ward discussed racial disparities in mandated reporting and the need for better training of mandated reporters, especially in regards to racial disparities. She spoke about what some other states have done regarding mandatory reporters and creating prevention hubs, including Texas, New York, New Hampshire, and Ohio. 02:33:51 PM Melanie Jordan, Policy Director, Office of the Respondent Parents Counsel, and Nicole Bishop, Director, Action in Advocacy, presented to the committee. The presentation was provided the committee (Attachment L), along with additional materials (Attachments M through O). Ms. Bishop discussed the overrepresntation of people with disabilities in the school-to-prison pipeline and shared data related to people with disabilities regarding Colorado's child welfare system. Ms. Jordan discussed the availability of data related to people with disabilities involved in the child welfare system. 02:41:25 PM Ms. Bishop continued by discussing a study by the National Council on Disabilities related to child welfare. She shared her personal story with the child welfare system. Ms. Jordan provided an overview of the information contained in the materials provided by her office. 02:48:49 PM The panelists responded to questions from the committee. Public Testimony - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment P http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/0268A8E76C6F...$File/Attachment P.pdf?OpenElement Attachment P.pdf Attachment Q http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/0AC114BBCE00...$File/Attachment Q - Combined.pdf?OpenElement Attachment Q - Combined.pdf 03:09:31 PM The following people provided public testimony to the committee on child welfare matters: - Christine McGinley, representing herself; - Brian Calkins, representing himself; - Dylan Mundt, representing himself; and - Dennis Mundt, representing himself. Mr. Mundt provided a handout to the committee (Attachment P). 03:31:09 PM The following people provided public testimony on child welfare matters: - Dr. Kate Trujillo, representing Colorado Child Welfare Scholars Consortium; - Lara Bruce, representing Metropolitan State University - Denver; - Whitney Buckendorf, representing Elephant Circle; - Alicia Leal, representing herself; and - Iesha Wood, representing People Against Child Welfare Abuse. 03:48:09 PM The following people provided public testimony on child welfare matters: - Dominique Mallard, representing Children Advocacy, Resource, Educational, Services; - Elizabeth Baumgarten, representing herself; - Timothy Scott, representing himself; - Judi Atwood, representing herself; and - Maralee Mclean, representing Moms Fight Back. 04:06:17 PM The following people provided public testimony on child welfare matters: - Minna Castillo, representing the Colorado Department of Human Services; - Mollie Bradlee, representing the Colorado Department of Human Services; - Robert Werthwein, representing the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and the Behavioral Health Administration; - Rael LaPenta, representing Mothers Against Child Abuse; and - Katie First, representing Colorado Counties Inc. Written public testimony was provided to the committee (Attachment Q). Bill Requests - Approval of Bill Drafts Requests Attachment Tag File Name Attachment R http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/CB2AFF1548A2...$File/Attachment R.pdf?OpenElement Attachment R.pdf Attachment S http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/C88F7A38E769...$File/Attachment S.pdf?OpenElement Attachment S.pdf Attachment T http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/6B021A63E9E2...$File/Attachment T.pdf?OpenElement Attachment T.pdf Attachment U http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/26B5B38F1EB0...$File/Attachment U.pdf?OpenElement Attachment U.pdf Attachment V http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/B20676356D4A...$File/Attachment V.pdf?OpenElement Attachment V.pdf Attachment W http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/244CF7736FB7...$File/Attachment W.pdf?OpenElement Attachment W.pdf 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. 05:51:26 PM The committee adjourned.