Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Background Checks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves CJIS access for local child‑welfare staff with training and audit requirements
Summary
The board approved seeking a non‑criminal‑justice agency CJIS account to let Rio Blanco County child‑welfare staff run background checks required for foster and kinship placements, with commissioners emphasizing required training, secure workstation controls and annual auditing.
The Rio Blanco County Board on May 13 authorized staff to pursue a Colorado Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) non‑criminal‑justice agency user agreement so designated child‑welfare staff can run background checks needed for child‑placement decisions.
Why it matters: State background checks are required for many placement decisions (foster placements, kinship care). Relying on local law enforcement or public dispatch for background lookups can cause operational delays; the board moved to give trained county staff direct access while building required controls.
What the meeting record shows - Purpose: County Human Services staff said CJIS access would speed needed background checks for placements and comply with statutory screening requirements for foster and kinship placements (the meeting referenced statutes governing placement screening). - Safeguards discussed: Commissioners and staff discussed training modules, workstation restrictions (single‑user secure workstations, no other persons present while a search is conducted), annual audits and role‑based access controls. The county attorney and IT staff outlined auditability and disciplinary steps for misuse. - Training and limits: Staff confirmed mandatory CJIS online training (two modules, roughly two hours) and that user accounts would only be issued after training completion. Commissioners stressed the need for clear policies, physical workstation controls (double‑locked rooms or desktop PCs), and audit logs. - Board action: The board approved moving forward with obtaining the CJIS agreement; staff to implement training, designate secure workstations and document audit procedures.
Next steps: Human Services and IT will complete required training for authorized users, install a secure workstation on county premises, and establish an audit schedule; the county attorney will work with HR on disciplinary and confidentiality policies tied to CJIS access.
