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The Timothy Montoya Task Force, created in response to the tragic death of 12-year-old Timothy Montoya, has released its final report aimed at addressing the critical issue of youth running away from out-of-home placements in Colorado’s foster care and behavioral health systems. The report, which outlines key recommendations, aims to create a statewide, standardized approach to preventing runaway incidents and providing care for youth who leave their placements.
The task force was established by House Bill 22-1375, “Child Residential Treatment and Runaway Youth,” passed by the Colorado General Assembly in 2022. It was charged with analyzing the state’s laws and practices and making recommendations to prevent children from running away from foster homes and residential treatment facilities. Keystone Policy Center facilitated the task force, guiding its deliberations and ensuring a collaborative, stakeholder-driven process. Keystone’s expertise in consensus-building and policy facilitation was instrumental in helping the task force navigate complex issues and deliver actionable recommendations for the Colorado General Assembly.
Key Findings and Recommendations:
The task force identified a three-pronged approach to addressing the issue:
- Prevention: Recommendations include the creation of a statewide database to track runaway incidents, a prevention curriculum for caregivers and youth, and a standard pre-admission risk assessment to identify youths likely to run from care.
- Intervention: To ensure a swift and effective response when a child runs away, the task force recommends creating statewide protocols that define how missing youth should be located and returned to care.
- After-Care: The task force also emphasizes the need for post-recovery evaluations, including medical and mental health assessments, as well as the creation of short-term stabilization units for youths to transition back into appropriate care.
The recommendations aim to address the root causes of runaway behavior, improve safety measures at care facilities, and ensure consistent, trauma-informed care when a youth returns to the system. The final report also underscores the importance of providing clear policies to parents and caregivers, as well as empowering care facilities with the tools they need to prevent and respond to runaway incidents.
The full report is available for public access on the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman website.
