Boulder County is supporting a new state bill that would allow its social services department to treat mild and moderate child welfare cases differently than more severe cases, with the goal of collaborating with families to solve problems.
The bill, which passed the Senate earlier this week and was introduced to the House on Thursday, would expand an existing pilot program in the state that is allowing five counties to use an approach known as “differential response” in low-risk child welfare cases.
Currently, Boulder County is required to do an investigation in every child welfare case and to identify a “victim” and a “perpetrator.” In low-risk situations, a differential response protocol would allow the county to not make those designations and, instead, work with the family to come up with solutions.
“It’s a different approach to not have to make a finding of abuse or neglect or to determine a perpetrator or a victim,” said Kit Thompson, director of the Boulder County Housing and Human Services’ Family and Children Services Division. “It allows us to work with the family to determine what they need and get them the services that they need in order to stabilize the family.”
If the bill becomes law, Boulder County would ask to be included in the pilot, Thompson said.
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