ICPC State Pages

Colorado Foster Care

Rates (Foster Care)

Foster care rate paid at:

• Negotiable
• Other

The Colorado County Department negotiates with the receiving state, unless the receiving state has a policy requiring their rate.

Colorado foster care rates:

Requirements (Foster Care)

Foster Care Resource Requirements:

• Prior to certification, the county shall complete the single assessment of foster and adoptive homes as outlined in Section 7.500.2.

  Training, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Five-Year Child Abuse and Neglect Records Check Requirements

  1.Prior to the placement of a child, initial training shall be provided through the statewide core curriculum, county department, or CPA.

  a.Each applicant shall complete twelve hours of core training. Core training shall include, at a minimum, the following ten primary topic areas:

    1) General overview of foster care

    2) Administrative and legal issues

    3) Why children get placed in out-of-home care

    4) Parenting and family dynamics

    5) Key concepts of child growth and development

    6) Importance of the team approach

    7) Individual differences, such as ethnicity and culture

    8) Discipline

    9) Effects of fostering on the foster family

    10) Working with the biological family

  b.In addition to twenty-seven hours of pre-certification training, which includes twelve hours of core training, each foster parent must be certified in First Aid or the equivalent, and CPR for the ages of the children in placement.

  c.Complete a background check for each adult eighteen (18) years and older living in the home for the following:

    1) Child abuse/neglect records in every state where the adult has resided in the five years preceding the date of application; and,

    2) Fingerprint-based criminal history checks from the CBI and the FBI.

  2. Ongoing Training

  a.Each applicant shall have 20 hours of ongoing training every year. The training shall be relevant to fostering of children.

  b.If there are children in the home and training is not completed, no additional children shall be placed until training is complete. Children who are currently in placement shall not be disrupted due to this requirement.

  C.Exceptions to the Training and CBI, FBI, and Five-Year Child Abuse and Neglect Records Check Requirements

   An exception to the above rules may be made for emergency "child specific" placements. These are defined as placements where the child has a prior relationship to the applicant.

  1.The applicant may have 60 calendar days from the date of application to complete the above training.

  2.In the event of an emergency child specific placement in a previously uncertified home, prior to or at the time of the placement the county shall receive the completed Original Application to Care for Children. In addition, the county and the applicant shall review and sign the CWS-7A form, Individual Provider Contract for Purchase of Foster Care Services, and Foster Care Facility Agreement.

Training (Education and Training):

• 27 hours of pre-certification training and 20 hours of on-going training every year.

Requirements (Licensing)

Licensing Requirements:

• No information provided

Foster Care Placements:

• No information provided

Colorado requires the following types of placement resources to be licensed/approved/certified:

• Foster Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Adoption
• Foster/Adopt

Colorado uses the following terms to authorize a resource family for foster care and (or) adoption after completion of education and training in state:

• Approve (Adoption)
• Verified (Foster Home)
• Certified

Colorado resource training program is as follows:

• PRIDE, Core Training

Colorado accepts the following training programs as comparable to its education and training program licensing:

• Other: Varies with each Region in Colorado; and the Training must meet Colorado curriculum.

Wait Time - (License/Certification/Approval - Education and Training)

Average Length of time it takes for a home to be licensed/approved/certified:

• 3-6 mos.

Length of time a license is valid before renewal required:

• 1 year

Colorado offers classes (education and training) to become licensed/certified/approved:

• Other: Quarterly

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