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Reports to Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline increase since '15 launch

Daily Times-Call - 2/2/2020

Feb. 2--All it takes is a phone call to potentially make a child's life safer.

That's what officials with the Colorado Department of Human Services hope to pass along to the public when it comes to reporting suspected abuse of children.

While anyone who sees a child in immediate danger should call 911, the Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect hotline was created in an effort to provide a toll-free and accessible number that people can reach 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The resource, which was created in 2015 by the Colorado Department of Human Services, celebrates its fifth anniversary this year and many milestones along the way.

Since its inception, the hotline has streamed more than a million calls and assessed the well-being of 274,193 children. Of those calls, there were 56,829 in Boulder County and 35,324 in Weld County. Hotline and welfare officials believe the resource has been an important tool in keeping abuse from going unreported.

Minna Castillo Cohen , director of the Office of Children, Youth and Families at the Colorado Department of Human Services, said she was proud to see the resource reach its five-year milestone.

"We need to continue to share this message that calling the hotline, that it is a way to get kids and families the support they need," Castillo Cohen said.

The resource can be reached from anywhere in the state. The Hotline County Connection Center in Lamar routes calls to the county agency that can aid the child.

In 2013, CDHS officials conducted public opinion research. What they found was 75% of tips were from mandatory reporters, while only 10% came from the general public and 15% from family members, according to CO4Kids website.

CDHS launched a campaign in 2015 to educate the public about reporting abuse in neglect situation and bring to light the launch of the hotline, the website said.

Kit Thompson, division director for Boulder County's Housing and Human Services, believes the campaign accomplished its mission.

"It brought a lot more attention to the general public for the need for the whole community to play a role in identifying problems and strengthening families," Thompson said. "I think it has been really helpful in that regard."

Since the hotline has been in place, Thompson has noticed a difference.

"There was a clear uptick since the beginning of the central hotline, that with the campaign, people are more willing to call in and let us know what they are worried about," Thompson said.

She estimated a 31% increase in calls since 2015.

Help, Castillo Cohen noted, does not always mean removing a child from their family. An important part of the service is assessing what needs a family has and getting them connected with resources. Castillo Cohen said some of those resources include things like food security options, such as Women, Infants, and Children benefits, parenting skills or child behavior classes. Giving parents the right tools can help them provide a safe and healthy home for their children, Castillo Cohen said.

In 2019, 69% of the teens and children who were reported to the hotline stayed with their family, according to a hotline news release. The other 39% went into out-of-home placement with relatives, foster families or a care facility, the release said.

Reflecting on the hotline's five years of operations, Castillo Cohen asked the community to continue its involvement.

"We encourage everyone to make the call whenever they have a concern and allow the county services to determine the next steps," Castillo Cohen said.

The hotline can be reached by calling 1-844-CO-4-Kids. To learn more about the Colorado Department of Human Services'CO4Kids campaign, those interested can visit CO4Kids.org.

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