Task force starts long process to reform state's mandatory reporting law
Olivia Gant captured the hearts of Colorado as she checked off her life's bucket list.
First, as a Make-A-Wish kid, she was a superhero battling villains. Then as a police officer for a day and a firefighter serving her city.
"Go to jail," the 7-year-old yelled while riding shotgun in a Denver Police Department cruiser in 2017.
After her death, it was revealed her mother had been lying about her having a terminal illness for attention and money.
CBS News Colorado also learned that medical staff who treated her had concerns she was being medically abused, but never reported to authorities.
A requirement under state mandatory reporting laws are now under review.
Gant's grandfather, Lonnie Gautreau, has been her biggest advocate speaking directly to a task force formed to identify and fix problems with the law.
"You all seem like an incredible group of people that are going to get this mandatory reporting fixed because it completely failed my granddaughter," he told them
The task force met for the first time on Wednesday morning at the direction of Colorado's Child Protection Ombudsman office.
"Of all 33 members that were present, all of them said the law needs to be fixed," Ombudsman Stephanie Villafuerte said. "Again, it needs to be fixed from a technical standpoint, so they understand what their job duties are and they can better protect children and they want to make sure they are making the right calls that they are not making child abuse calls on families who have not abused or harmed their children."
During a three-hour meeting, members zeroed in on issues around training and clarifying requirements of the law.
After 13 meetings over two years, they will bring recommended changes back to state lawmakers.
State Rep. Meg Froelich, who helped push for the formation of the taskforce, says after decades of no reviews, this was overdue, and the importance cannot be overstated.
"The intent is to protect folks and connect folks to resources to make sure we reduce child harm and child abuse if we haven't done that at the end of this process, we haven't done it right," she said.
Following the two-year review, the taskforce will present recommendations to state lawmakers who will decide what changes are to be made.
