2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 15 - Probate, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
Colorado Probate Code
Article 14 - Persons Under Disability - Protection
Part 3 - Guardianship of Incapacitated Person
§ 15-14-317. Reports - monitoring of guardianship - court access to records

(1) Within sixty days after appointment or as otherwise directed by the court, a guardian shall report to the court in writing on the condition of the ward, the guardian's personal care plan for the ward, and account for money and other assets in the guardian's possession or subject to the guardian's control. A guardian shall report at least annually thereafter and whenever ordered by the court. The annual report must state or contain:

(a) The current mental, physical, and social condition of the ward;

(b) The living arrangements for all addresses of the ward during the reporting period;

(c) The medical, educational, vocational, and other services provided to the ward and the guardian's opinion as to the adequacy of the ward's care;

(d) A summary of the guardian's visits with the ward and activities on the ward's behalf and the extent to which the ward has participated in decision-making;

(e) Whether the guardian considers the current plan for care, treatment, or habilitation to be in the ward's best interest;

(f) Plans for future care; and

(g) A recommendation as to the need for continued guardianship and any recommended changes in the scope of the guardianship.

(2) The court may appoint a visitor or other suitable person to review a report, interview the ward or guardian, and make any other investigation the court directs.

(3) The court shall establish a system for monitoring guardianships, including the filing and review of annual reports.

(4) (a) Whenever a guardian fails to file a report or fails to respond to an order of the court to show cause why the guardian should not be held in contempt of court, the clerk of the court or his or her designee may research the whereabouts and contact information of the guardian and the ward. To facilitate this research, the clerk of the court or his or her designee shall have access to data maintained by other state agencies, including but not limited to vital statistics information maintained by the department of public health and environment, wage and employment data maintained by the department of labor and employment, lists of licensed drivers and income tax data maintained by the department of revenue and provided pursuant to section 13-71-107, C.R.S., and voter registration information obtained annually by the state court administrator pursuant to section 13-71-107, C.R.S. The court may access the data only to obtain contact information for the guardian or the ward. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the judicial department and the other state agencies listed in this paragraph (a) may enter into agreements for the sharing of this data. The judicial department and the courts shall not access data maintained pursuant to the "Address Confidentiality Program Act", part 21 of article 30 of title 24, C.R.S.

(b) The court shall preserve the confidentiality of the data obtained from other state agencies and use the data only for the purposes set forth in this subsection (4). Notwithstanding the provisions of article 72 of title 24, C.R.S., documents and information obtained by the court pursuant to this subsection (4) are not public records and shall be open to public inspection only upon an order of the court based on a finding of good cause, except to the extent they would otherwise be open to inspection from the providing state agency.

(c) For purposes of this subsection (4), "contact information" means name, residential address, business address, date of birth, date of death, phone number, e-mail address, or other identifying information as directed by the court.