2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 19 - Children's Code
Article 3 - Dependency and Neglect
Part 5 - Petition, Adjudication, Disposition
§ 19-3-507. Dispositional hearing

(1) (a) After making an order of adjudication, the court shall hear evidence on the question of the proper disposition best serving the interests of the child and the public. Such evidence shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the social study and other reports as provided in section 19-1-107.

(b) Prior to any dispositional hearing, the caseworker of the department of human services assigned to the case shall submit to the court a statement that details the services that were offered to or provided to the family to prevent unnecessary out-of-home placement of the child and to facilitate the reunification of the child with the family. The statement shall contain an explanation of the services or actions that, had such services or actions been available, would have been necessary to enable the child to remain at home safely. In the alternative, the caseworker may submit a statement as to why no services or actions would have made it possible for the child to remain at home safely. If the child is part of a sibling group, as defined in section 19-1-103 (98.5), and the child was not placed with his or her siblings, the caseworker shall submit to the court a statement about whether it continues to be in the best interests of the child or the children in the sibling group to be placed separately. If the caseworker locates an appropriate, capable, willing, and available joint placement for all of the children in the sibling group, it shall be presumed that placement of the entire sibling group in the joint placement is in the best interests of the children. Such presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence that placement of the entire sibling group in the joint placement is not in the best interests of a child or of the children.

(2) If the court has reason to believe that the child may have developmental disabilities, the court shall refer the child to the community centered board in the designated service area where the action is pending for an eligibility determination pursuant to article 10.5 of title 27, C.R.S. If the court has reason to believe that the child may have a mental illness, the court shall order a mental health prescreening to be conducted in any appropriate place.

(3) (a) Except as provided in section 19-3-508 (1), the court may continue the dispositional hearing, either on its own motion or on the motion of any interested party, for a reasonable period to receive reports or other evidence.

(b) If the hearing is continued, the court shall make an appropriate order for detention of the child or for such child's release in the custody of such child's parents, guardian, or other responsible person or agency under such conditions of supervision as the court may impose during the continuance.

(c) In scheduling investigations and hearings, the court shall give priority to proceedings concerning a child who is in detention or who has otherwise been removed from such child's home before an order of disposition has been made.

(4) In any case in which the disposition is placement out of the home, except for children committed to the department of human services, the court shall, at the time of placement, set a review within ninety days to determine whether continued placement is necessary and in the best interests of the child and the community and whether reasonable efforts have been made to return the child to the home or in the case of a sibling group whether it is in the best interests of the children in the sibling group to be placed together. If the county department locates an appropriate, capable, willing, and available joint placement for all of the children in the sibling group, it shall be presumed that placement of the entire sibling group in the joint placement is in the best interests of the children. Such presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence that placement of the entire sibling group in the joint placement is not in the best interests of a child or of the children. The judge shall review the family services plan document regarding placement of siblings. Notice of said review shall be given by the court to all parties and to the director of the facility or agency in which the child is placed and any person who has physical custody of the child and any attorney or guardian ad litem of record. The review shall be conducted in accordance with section 19-1-115 (8) (f).

(5) (a) Parents, grandparents, relatives, or foster parents who have the child in their care for more than three months who have information or knowledge concerning the care and protection of the child may intervene as a matter of right following adjudication with or without counsel.

(b) A county department of social services that placed a child in foster care shall provide the foster parent of the child and any pre-adoptive parent or relative providing care for the child with notice of any administrative review of the child's case.

(c) Upon the written request of the foster parent, pre-adoptive parent, or relative, notice of a court hearing for the child's case shall be provided in written form and may be provided through the caseworker at the usual periodic meetings with the person providing care for the child. The notice shall include, at a minimum:

(I) The child's court case number;

(II) The date and time of the next court hearing; and

(III) The name of the magistrate or judge and the court division to which the case has been assigned.