Aligning Issues Around At-risk Persons

The act implements the following recommendations of the at-risk adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities mandatory reporting implementation task force:

• Standardizing statutory definitions among the 'Colorado Criminal Code', the adult protective services in the department of human services, and the office of community living in the department of health care policy and financing;
• Specifying that enhanced penalties for crimes against an at-risk person apply to all persons 70 years of age or older and to all persons with a disability; and
• Clarifying and expanding the definitions of persons who are required to report instances of mistreatment of at-risk elders or at-risk adults with an intellectual and developmental disability (adults with IDD).

The act also:

• Specifies that a county department of human or social services is responsible for ensuring that an investigation of allegations of mistreatment of an at-risk adult is conducted; and
• Clarifies that the human rights committee is responsible for reviewing investigations of mistreatment of an adult with IDD occurred.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)