(1) The board has the following powers and duties:
(a) To advise and make recommendations to the governor, state agencies, and other relevant entities concerning the implementation of and future revisions to any state plan developed to prevent child maltreatment;
(b) To develop strategies and monitor efforts to achieve:
(I) Increases in child well-being and achievement;
(II) Increases in caregiver well-being and achievement;
(III) Increases in consistent high-quality caregiving;
(IV) Increases in safe, supportive neighborhoods and communities; and
(V) Decreases in the incidence of child maltreatment and child maltreatment fatalities;
(c) To assist public and private agencies in coordinating efforts on behalf of families, including securing funding and additional investments for services and programs, and improving access to these services for children and their families;
(d) To provide for the coordination and exchange of information concerning the establishment and maintenance of primary and secondary prevention programs and to facilitate the exchange of information between groups concerned with child maltreatment;
(e) (I) To identify opportunities for, and barriers to, the alignment of standards, rules, policies, and procedures across programs and agencies that support families. The board shall submit recommendations developed pursuant to this subsection (1)(e)(I) to the department, which shall then include such recommendations as part of its presentation to its committee of reference at a hearing held pursuant to section 2-7-203 (2)(a) of the State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act in January 2022.
(II) The board shall also provide ongoing recommendations on changes to enhance the alignment and provision of services and supports for families to prevent child trauma and maltreatment to appropriate government and nonprofit agencies and policy boards.
(f) To collaborate with other relevant boards, commissions, and councils that exist within the executive branch to address services and supports for families;
(g) To promote academic research on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of child maltreatment prevention initiatives;
(h) To distribute money and make grant awards from the Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund, created in section 26.5-3-206, in accordance with section 26.5-3-207 and for:
(I) The establishment, promotion, and maintenance of primary and secondary child maltreatment prevention programs, including pilot programs or services identified in the federal Title IV-E prevention services clearinghouse and programs that are under evaluation for purposes of petitioning the federal government for inclusion in the federal Title IV-E prevention services clearinghouse;
(II) Programs to prevent child sexual abuse;
(III) Programs to reduce the occurrence of prenatal substance exposure;
(IV) Programs to reduce the occurrence of other adverse childhood experiences;
(V) Programs to reduce poverty or help families get out of poverty;
(VI) Programs to create housing stability; and
(VII) Operational expenses of the board, including allowable expenses pursuant to section 26.5-3-204 (5);
(i) To monitor and promote the interaction and seamless partnership between the office within the department of human services that is responsible for children, youth, and families and the department in administering family strengthening programs;
(j) To accept grants from the federal government, as well as to seek, accept, and expend contributions, grants, gifts, bequests, and donations from individuals, private organizations, and foundations; and
(k) To exercise or perform any other powers or duties consistent with the purposes for which the board was created and that are reasonably necessary for the fulfillment of the board's responsibilities as set forth in this section.
Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 609, � 3, effective July 1. L. 2023: (1)(j) amended, (HB 23-1235), ch. 434, p. 2544, � 5, effective June 7.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former � 19-3.5-104 as it existed prior to 2022.
26.5-3-206. Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund - creation - source of funds - appropriation - repeal. (1) There is created in the state treasury the Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund. The board shall administer the trust fund, which consists of:
(a) Money transferred into the trust fund in accordance with section 13-32-101 (5)(a)(I);
(b) Money collected by the board pursuant to section 26.5-3-205 (1)(j) from federal grants and other contributions, grants, gifts, bequests, and donations. Such money must be transmitted to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the trust fund.
(c) Any money appropriated to the trust fund by the state; and
(d) Reimbursement money received for prevention services and programs identified in the federal Title IV-E prevention services clearinghouse pursuant to the federal Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. Beginning July 1, 2021, the department shall transmit federal Title IV-E reimbursements for prevention services to the state treasurer, who shall credit the reimbursements to the trust fund.
(2) The board shall claim federal Title IV-E reimbursement for the trust fund for all eligible grants for prevention services on the federal Title IV-E prevention services clearinghouse.
(3) Money in the trust fund is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly. Any money remaining in the trust fund must not be transferred to or revert to the general fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year. Any interest earned on the investment or deposit of money in the trust fund must also remain in the fund and must not be credited to the general fund of the state.
(4) (a) Repealed.
(b) (I) For the 2024-25 and 2025-26 state fiscal years, the general assembly shall annually appropriate fifty thousand dollars to the trust fund. The board shall distribute the money appropriated pursuant to this subsection (4)(b) to convene a stakeholder group to identify strategies to increase access to child care for families seeking substance use disorder treatment and recovery services.
(II) This subsection (4)(b) is repealed, effective June 30, 2027.
Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 610, � 3, effective July 1. L. 2024: (4) added, (HB 24-1045), ch. 470, p. 3289, � 26, effective August 7. L. 2025: (4)(a) repealed, (SB 25-266), ch. 108, p. 460, � 2, effective July 1.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former � 19-3.5-105 as it existed prior to 2022.