CO HB1313

The Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman may self-initiate independent investigations and ongoing reviews of the safety and well-being of unaccompanied immigrant children housed in state-licensed residential child care facilities who are in custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.

State-licensed residential child care facilities must notify the ombudsman and state department within three days after an unaccompanied immigrant child arrives at the facility.

The ombudsman has authority to request, review, and receive copies of any information, records, or documents necessary to conduct investigations without cost, and may create and distribute outreach materials to facilities and individuals with regular contact with these children.

The ombudsman must include results of investigations and reviews of unaccompanied immigrant children in annual reports to the general assembly.

The state department and child protection ombudsman shall coordinate site visits to investigate and review residential child care facilities housing unaccompanied immigrant children and may share final reports from their visits.

$90,600 is appropriated to the judicial department for the ombudsman's office for fiscal year 2021-22, based on the need for an additional 0.9 full-time employee.