Senate Bill 18-254 Summary

• Aligns Colorado child welfare services with the federal Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 by requiring assessments under federal Titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act.

• Creates a new state program to serve children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in licensed out-of-home placements, with the state reimbursing counties 100% of placement costs during treatment and 30 days after discharge.

• Establishes a Delivery of Child Welfare Services Task Force convening quarterly beginning July 1, 2018, to analyze laws, develop performance measures, evaluate federal funding maximization, and make recommendations for system reforms.

• Restructures the Child Welfare Allocations Committee from 11 members (8 county-appointed, 3 state-appointed) to 13 members (8 county commissioners-appointed, 5 state-appointed) with regional representation requirements.

• Creates a new Child Welfare Prevention and Intervention Services Cash Fund to receive retained unspent general fund money (up to 5%) from small and medium-sized counties for prevention and intervention services.