Colorado § 19-2.5-1525 - Juveniles committed to department of human services - evaluation and placement.

§ 19-2.5-1525. Juveniles committed to department of human services - evaluation and placement.

(1) (a) Each juvenile committed to the custody of the department of human services shall be examined and evaluated by the department prior to institutional placement or other disposition.

(b) The evaluation and examination must be conducted at a detention facility and be completed within thirty-five days. The department of human services may, by rule, determine the extent and scope of the evaluation and examination. To the extent possible and relevant, the evidence, reports, examination, studies, and other materials utilized in a sentencing hearing conducted pursuant to section 19-2.5-1102 must also be utilized in evaluation and examination conducted pursuant to this section. This subsection (1)(b) does not apply to an examination and evaluation conducted pursuant to section 19-2.5-1532 (1).

(c) The examination and evaluation must include the use of an objective risk assessment that is based upon researched factors that correlate to a risk to the community. The results of the objective risk assessment must be used to help identify treatment services for the juvenile during the juvenile's commitment and period of parole supervision.

(2) The department of human services shall then place each juvenile in the appropriate state institution or facility as provided in section 19-2.5-1530 or 19-2.5-1519, as indicated by the examination and evaluation.

(3) (a) When the department of human services determines that a juvenile requires placement in a state facility for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as defined in article 10.5 of title 27, it shall initiate proceedings pursuant to article 10.5 of title 27 and notify the court.

(b) (I) When the department of human services determines that a juvenile may require treatment for a behavioral or mental health disorder, it shall conduct or have a mental health professional conduct a mental health hospital placement prescreening on the juvenile.

(II) If the mental health hospital placement prescreening report recommends that the juvenile be evaluated, the juvenile may be transferred to a mental health facility operated by the department of human services for evaluation.

(III) If the evaluation report states that the juvenile has a mental health disorder, as described in section 27-65-106, the department of human services shall initiate proceedings pursuant to article 65 of title 27 and notify the court.

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added with relocations, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 703, § 2, effective October 1. L. 2022: (3)(b)(III) amended, (HB 22-1256), ch. 451, p. 3231, § 33, effective August 10.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 19-2-922 as it existed prior to 2021.

ANNOTATION

Applied in Leidig v. Delaney, 189 Colo. 186, 539 P.2d 1264 (1975) (decided under former law).