Colorado Failed to Death Investigative Series UPDATED
“Since 2007, 175 children in Colorado have died of abuse and neglect – beaten, starved, suffocated and burned. Deepening the tragedy is that the families or caregivers of 72 of them were known to caseworkers whose job was to protect them.”
Nine children were abused to death in 2012.
“Caseworkers and their supervisors failed to complete investigations in the time required by law 18 times before children ended up dead. They routinely — at least 31 times — did not contact neighbors and acquaintances who might have told them a child was at risk of harm or even death. More than half of the time, caseworkers violated at least one state rule when conducting abuse investigations, according to an analysis of fatality case reviews by the state Department of Human Services.”
[The Denver Post 11/11/12 by Jennifer Brown, Christopher N. Osher and Jordan Steffen]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update: “Counties will have to start tracking and reporting caseloads of child-protection workers to the state, part of what Colorado officials say is a renewed effort to improve protection for abused and neglected children.
The state’s pledge comes after a Denver Post/9News investigation found the Colorado Human Services Department does not have the data to determine whether caseworkers are overwhelmed. State officials do not know the average caseloads for child- protection workers in Colorado’s 64 counties, and the state is one of 11 that neglect to report that data to the federal government.”
“The Post’s investigation found caseworkers often make mistakes in that paperwork or when doing safety assessments and safety plans for at-risk families.
In more than half of child- abuse deaths in the past six years, caseworkers did not follow state policy regarding how to investigate neglect and abuse allegations, according to an analysis of state child-fatality reviews.
Since 2007, more than 190 children in Colorado have died of abuse and neglect. Of those, at least 75 had families or caregivers who were known to human services. Three children were added to the list in the past month.
Caseload data reports likely will become part of a monthly meeting that Reggie Bicha, executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, holds with top officials in the Office of Children, Youth & Family Services to review performance statistics, Martinez said.
During those monthly meetings, top officials review data gathered to drive improvement in county welfare departments. Since July, the state has been tracking how many child-abuse investigations remain open after the 60-day limit, Martinez said.
Since that time, some counties have improved markedly in the timeliness of investigations. During a recent meeting with Bicha, El Paso County child- welfare officials noted they now had fewer than 1 percent of their cases open past the 60-day deadline. In July, that county had 24 percent of their cases open past that deadline.
“Now state officials are turning their efforts to other areas of the state that remain laggards on timeliness of investigation. During one recent meeting, Bicha asked his staff to explore why Douglas County still had so many of its investigations out of compliance.
He also wanted to investigate why Pueblo County’s numbers were getting worse on the timeliness measurement. In July, 11 percent of Pueblo’s child-welfare abuse and neglect investigations remained open after 60 days. By October, that had inched up to 16 percent.”
Failed to Death: Colorado to start tracking workload for child protection workers
[The Denver Post 12/7/12 by Christopher N. Osher and Jennifer Brown]
Update 2: “The governor has signed a package of bills revamping Colorado’s child welfare system after criticism over several cases of children who died of abuse or neglect while under some form of state care in recent years.
Emergency medical service providers will now be required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. And state officials will begin work to create a hotline to report child abuse. The hotline must be operational by January 2015.
Other legislation requires local public health agencies to establish review teams to investigate child deaths and make recommendations on how to prevent fatalities. Courts will also be required to consider a child’s best interests when deciding custody cases to ensure they’re in homes free of domestic violence or neglect.
Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the measures Tuesday.”
Governor signs Colo. child welfare bills
[San Francisco Gate 5/14/13 by Associated Press]
“Training for the hotline will become more standardized too and will take effect January 2015.
Another law will allow human services to be able to work as local teams to review child fatalities.
While a targeted funding law will help the department with prevention resources.
In the past funding was not focused on prevention, but rather response.
Another new law, taking effect in July 2014, requires a mandatory report if any emergency responders suspect child abuse.
Jill Calvert, the Mesa County’s Child Welfare Services Division Director said these laws will help increase community awareness, “I really do think these are great thing that are coming down and really do support what we’ve already been trying to do.”
She said domestic violence will now be required to be looked at when determining parenting time and will protect kids during custody cases.
A judge is now required to consider if a child is emotionally, mentally and physical safe in a parent’s care.”
Five child protection bills are signed into law
[KJCT8 5/15/13 by Gina Esposito]
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