Press Release - Child Welfare Bills Signed
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008
CONTACT:
Wil Alston, 303.917.8059, wil.alston@state.co.us
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER SIGNS CHILD-WELFARE BILLS INTO LAW
KEYSTONE -- Gov. Bill Ritter signed three bills into law today that will better protect at-risk children and improve Colorado's child-welfare system.
"Protecting Colorado's children from neglect, abuse, injury and even death is one of the most important things we do as public servants and as leaders," Gov. Ritter said during the "Many Voices, One Vision: Colorado Summit on Children, Youth and Families." "These bills will further our efforts to protect Colorado's children and give them the opportunity to overcome whatever hurdles they may face and reach their full potential in life."
HB 1005 (Frangas/Boyd) will improve Colorado's existing program of collaborative management services at the state and county level. These are services for families, youth and children provided by Juvenile Justice, Child Welfare, Health and Education.
HB 1404 (Stafford/Keller) will implement Gov. Ritter's April executive order creating the Child Welfare Action Committee. Over the next 18 months, the action group will develop concrete improvements to Colorado's child-welfare system, delivering an interim report to Gov. Ritter in October. The bill appropriates funds to support the action committee, and clarifies that the Department of Human Services has the authority to require county departments to report employee information relevant to improving the child welfare system while maintaining employee confidentiality.
SB 99 (Sandoval/Stafford) will expand Medicaid eligibility to young adults who have "aged out" of or were emancipated from the state's foster-care system at age 18, but are not eligible to keep their federal health-care benefits. This bill will extend transitional health-care assistance to that group of young people through age 21.
Nearly 1,000 people took part in today’s conference, co-sponsored by the Colorado Department of Human Services and attended by judges, attorneys, caseworkers, foster parents, providers and youth corrections personnel.
For a complete list of 2008 legislation Gov. Ritter has signed into law, click here.