The number of neighbors, friends and relatives who reported child abuse and neglect to a statewide hotline shot up in 2016, a sign that those who aren’t required by law to make such reports are picking up their phones.
In the second year of the hotline, 40 percent of calls came from community members while the rest came from so-called “mandatory reporters,” including doctors, teachers, coaches and others who are legally required to report any suspicions of abuse or neglect.
The number of calls from the general public jumped from about 49,000 in 2015 to more than 82,000 last year, according to a count released this week by state human services officials.
“That was quite an increase in community calls we’re really seeing,” said Laura Solomon, in-take administrator for the state’s child welfare division. “We are really excited that people are picking up the phone.”
The total number of calls remained steady — about 209,000 in 2015, when some of the calls were “test calls,” to 206,000 in 2016. Of the 2016 total, 68 percent of calls concerned child abuse and neglect. The rest were questions about food stamps, housing assistance or other things.
When the hotline launched in January 2015, state Department of Human Services officials said they hoped to reach a balance in calls from the community versus mandatory reporters. They’ve tried to spread the word through radio spots, billboards and other marketing.
New this year, the hotline is taking a more active role in calls regarding suspected sex trafficking, thanks to a new state law that expanded the definition of child abuse and neglect to include human trafficking. The hotline has received 40 calls regarding sex trafficking since October.
Allegations of sex trafficking are reported to law enforcement, as was done in the past, but now child welfare caseworkers have responsibility to offer services to families and children involved in human trafficking. The new law also allows for better tracking of those cases to determine the breadth of the problem, officials said.
The Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, open 24 hours, is 1-844-CO-4-KIDS. Its website, , lists mandatory reporters and provides information on sex trafficking.
