ICPC State Pages

Colorado Home Studies (Adoption/Foster Care/Kinship/Parent/Relative)

Types of Home Studies

Colorado conducts the following types of home studies:

• Relative Care
• Foster Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Parent Care
• Foster- Adopt
• Adoption
• Other

Colorado designates staff in each county/region to conduct home studies and/or process interstate placements:

• Yes

Colorado considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 1 year
• Private: 1 year

Private Contract Services - Home Study

As the Sending State, Colorado will pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• Yes

As the Receiving State, Colorado will permit a Sending state to pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• Yes

As the Receiving State, Colorado will accept/update a home study that was not originally conducted by the receiving state or a private contractor acting on behalf of the Receiving State:

• Will Update and Accept

Adoptive Home Study

Home study for adoption conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• No

Prospective adoptive parents permitted to pay for a pre-adoptive home study:

• Private Adoptions: Yes
• Independent Adoptions: No

DCPS contracts for Purchase of Services with private agencies in other states:

• Yes

Foster Care Home Study

Home study for foster care conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Parent Home Study

If child has been removed from the parent, Colorado requires a home study evaluation before reunification:

• Yes

Non-Custodial Parents: Placements with non-custodial parents are not covered under the ICPC if:

• • A court does not have evidence before it that such parent is unfit
  • Does not seek such evidence
  • Does not retain jurisdiction over the child after the court transfers the child

  Judges may utilize ICPC Regulation 3 for placements with non-custodial parents.

Proof of Paternity is required:

• No

Relative/Kinship Home Study

Home study for relatives conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• No

Define Relative:

• A specified caretaker relative is any relation by blood, marriage or adoption, who is within the fifth degree of kinship to the dependent child. A specified caretaker may also include an individual who exerts the responsibility for a child.  A specified caretaker is a person who exercises the responsibility for the child(ren). The following hierarchy shall be followed:

  A. A parent (who must participate in the work requirements of the program);

  B. A relative by blood, marriage, or adoption who is within the fifth degree of kinship to the dependent child(ren) (not to be separated due to death or divorce); or is appointed by the court to be the legal guardian or legal custodian of the dependent child(ren), who has the opportunity to choose to be a member of the assistance unit and therefore, as a member, must participate in the work requirements of the program;

  C. If those identified in A or B, above, are not available, a person who exercises responsibility for a dependent child(ren) within the person's home and provides verification of such responsibility, who has the opportunity to choose if they are a member of the assistance requirements of the program.

Relatives must be licensed:

• No

Proof of Paternity is required:

• No

Colorado considers the following types and degrees of relation as relative placements. Individuals related in the 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree and 4th degree (You may need to refer to your state's consanguinity chart or state statute to determine relations or relative status.):

• 1st Degree (mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter)
• 2nd Degree (grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin)
• 3rd Degree (great grandmother, great grandfather, great aunt, great uncle, grand-niece, grand nephew, second cousin)
• 4th Degree (great, great-grandmother, great, great-grandfather, great, great aunt, great, great aunt, great, great uncle, great grand-niece, great grand nephew, third cousin)
• Godmother, Godfather

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Colorado performs priority placements:

• Yes

A court ordered Priority 7 conducted if the child is in a DCF shelter or foster home for substantial period of time.

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Public

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of educational training):

• Other: Because Colorado is state supervised and county administered, it is difficult to determine the length of time for completing home studies.

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• Other: Because Colorado is state supervised and county administered, it is difficult to determine the length of time for completing home studies.

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Private

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of education training):

• 30 days

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• 30 days

Colorado determines the "Date of Receipt" for an interstate home study as:

• Date stamped in the Receiving State Local Office.

Method of requesting, sending, and/or reporting an interstate home study

Criminal Record Checks

Colorado requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

• Foster Care
• Relative Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Foster-Adopt
• Adoption
• Parent

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Colorado requires the following types of criminal background and perpetrator checks (Federal (F), State (S), Local (L), Abuse and Neglect Registry (ANR), Not Required (NR))

Wait Time for Criminal Records Results

Wait time for fingerprint results are:

Live Scan or other technology

• State: Not Offered
• Local/County: 4-7 days

Manually - Fingerprint Card

• State: Not Offered
• Local/County: 31-60 days