Colorado § 26-6-902 - Legislative declaration.

§ 26-6-902. Legislative declaration.

(1) The general assembly finds that:

(a) The regulation, licensing, and funding of foster care homes, kinship foster care homes, residential and day treatment child care facilities, applied behavior analysis clinics, and child placement agencies contribute to a safe and healthy environment for children and youth;

(b) The provision of such an environment affords benefits to children and youth, their families, their communities, and the larger society; and

(c) Supporting families and kin who are willing to care for a child or youth is one of the most important actions the state can take to promote safe and timely reunification, maintain family connections, create as normal of an experience as possible for children and youth who have been removed from their homes, and prevent further long-term incorporation into the child welfare system.

(1.5) The general assembly intends that those who regulate and fund, and those who are regulated and funded, work together to meet the needs of children, youth, and their families; foster care providers; kinship foster care providers; applied behavior analysis clinics; child placement agencies; and residential and day treatment child care facilities.

(2) In balancing the needs of children and their families with the needs of child placement agencies, applied behavior analysis clinics, and the residential and day treatment child care industry, the general assembly also recognizes the financial demands the department of human services faces in its attempt to ensure a safe and sanitary environment for children of the state of Colorado who are in foster care with child placement agencies or in residential and day treatment child care facilities. In an effort to reduce the risk to children placed outside their homes while recognizing the financial constraints placed on the department, it is the intent of the general assembly that the limited resources available are focused primarily on residential and day treatment child care facilities, applied behavior analysis clinics, and agencies that have demonstrated that children in their care may be at higher risk.

Source: L. 2022: Entire part added, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 783, § 17, effective July 1. L. 2024: (1) amended and (1.5) added, (SB 24-008), ch. 289, p. 1932, § 6, effective September 1. L. 2026: (1)(a), (1.5), and (2) amended, (HB 26-1425), ch. 299, p. 1674, § 7, effective June 2.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 26-1425, see section 1 of chapter 299, Session Laws of Colorado 2026.