Evidence-Based Decision Making in Action: The Governor’s Wildly Important Goals

An Essential Element of the Colorado Lab is to learn together with our partners about the data and actions needed to move the needle toward desired outcomes. So too are we committed to being a learning organization. We regularly bring our staff together to learn and grow our capacity to provide top quality support to […]

We have been working hard to make small changes that can make a big difference in ensuring information produced by the Colorado Lab is understandable and accessible to everyone. Our efforts range from simplifying the language we use to avoiding things like overly flashy, dynamic graphics that can be difficult for some people to see. […]

The Colorado Lab serves as the Family First Evidence-Building Hub, providing guidance to the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to ensure strategic investments in evidence building for child welfare programs and services that aim to keep children safe and more families together. We’re excited to celebrate an important milestone in this work: the Continuous […]

In late January, we had the honor of convening esteemed researchers from across the country for a kick-off meeting to discuss what is known, and not known, about the relationship between income volatility and child maltreatment. A dozen diverse and uniquely qualified researchers serve as the Learning Community for the Family Economic Well-Being project.  Working […]

The Colorado Lab has issued a new brief, State-Funded Grant Programs: Guidance for Legislators in Bill Drafting. State-funded grant programs support initiatives that address statewide needs through innovative, localized solutions. These grants provide resources for local government and community partners to experiment with different approaches to the same problem simultaneously around the state. However, experimentation […]

The Evidence-Based Decision Making Glossary is a living document that supports decision makers, agency leadership, and staff in communicating consistently and effectively about use of evidence in policymaking. Each definition is based on a literature review and input from subject matter experts and practitioners. The latest terms added to the glossary are: The Colorado Lab […]

We’re shining a spotlight on an important advancement in caring for Colorado families affected by substance use during pregnancy. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires states have policies and procedures to address the needs of substance exposed newborns. This includes a process for health care providers to notify child welfare of the […]

The Colorado Lab serves as the statewide Coordinating Entity for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Colorado state government. In this role, the Colorado Lab is providing strategic consultation to the Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) and Joint Budget Committee (JBC) staff in collaboratively implementing House Bill (HB) 24-1428. This law requires an evidence designation […]

Colorado is making strong progress on implementation of its Five-Year Family First Prevention Services Plan. The plan is part of a broader strategy to further evolve the child welfare system to improve the safety and well-being of all children, youth, and families through a continuum of community-based prevention services and supports. The Colorado Lab serves […]

Last month our first policy brief on initial outcomes of the Alternative Response Pilot was presented to the legislature by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Authorized by Senate Bill 21-118, the pilot provides an alternative pathway for Adult Protective Services (APS) to respond to reports of low-risk mistreatment and self-neglect. When allegations of self-neglect […]

We are excited to share our latest evaluation report, Colorado Community Aging in Place–Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) Evaluation. CAPABLE provides each program participant with a series of visits from an interdisciplinary team—made up of an occupational therapist, a registered nurse, and a handy worker—to improve their mobility, everyday functioning, and independence. This is […]

A new report from the Colorado Lab provides evidence-backed recommendations to improve outcomes for families separated during child welfare involvement. Best Practices for Family Time in Colorado: A Data-Informed Approach to Drive Outcomes is based on a statewide study authorized by Colorado House Bill (HB) 23-1027 and conducted by the Colorado Lab in partnership with the High […]

The Colorado Wage Outcomes Results Coalition (WORC) is a data-sharing initiative created in response to a growing demand from workforce development programs to know what happens to their learners after program participation. Leveraging the Linked Information Network of Colorado to access Colorado Department of Labor and Employment data, WORC is unlocking administrative data previously unavailable to […]

In this month’s newsletter we highlight several new projects underway at the Colorado Lab. We value the opportunity to work with each partner, meeting them where they are, listening carefully to their needs and insights, and supporting them in obtaining the best available evidence to innovate, achieve goals, and use their resources wisely. We wish […]

An Early Childhood Workforce Evidence-Building Hub has been created at the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab) to oversee all evidence-building work on behalf of a new grant the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) received from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative. This grant supports planning and implementation activities to increase and sustain increased […]

We were honored to present earlier this month at the New Legislator Retreat for the incoming class of the Colorado General Assembly. The bipartisan event was hosted by Senators Chris Hansen (D) and Paul Lundeen (R), bringing together new legislators, Governor Polis, former legislative leaders, and others to build relationships and prepare for the new […]

The deadline has been extended to end of day Wednesday, November 20. In 2023, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) received a $3.85 million grant from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC) to catalyze change in ECE workforce compensation in line with Colorado’s Comprehensive Early Childhood Workforce Plan and Compensation and Benefits Task Force […]

A Universal Preschool Evidence-Building Hub has been created at the Colorado Lab to oversee all evidence-informed design and evaluation work on behalf of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC). The Universal Preschool Program helps fund preschool for Colorado children the year before kindergarten.  The Colorado Lab has served as an evidence-building hub for CDEC […]

There have been a number of exciting developments since last spring when we announced our collaboration with Philanthropy Colorado to adopt a community of practice (CoP) approach to enhance funder capacity to support grantees’ use of data for learning (April article). As a diverse mix of foundation representatives began to participate in the CoP, news […]

The passage of Senate Bill 21-118, Alternative Response Mistreatment At-Risk Adults, allowed Colorado to pilot an alternative pathway for Adult Protective Services (APS) to respond to reports of low-risk mistreatment and self-neglect. This advancement is gaining national recognition and was highlighted last month at the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) annual conference in New […]

In collaboration with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab) is convening a Learning Community on Family Economic Well-Being Research to align the needs of policymakers and the public with rigorous research that explores the connection between income volatility and child maltreatment or child maltreatment. The interdisciplinary Learning […]

Welcome to Paul Collier, an external partner to the Colorado Lab in support of government partners creating Theories of Change (TOCs). A Director at Corona Insights, Paul excels at helping teams build internal evaluation capacity and grow their ability to use data for learning purposes. Paul is an experienced trainer, facilitator, and coach who has […]

POSC Pilot Kick-off, Alamosa, July 19, 2024 We were excited for the opportunity to share insights on Colorado’s Plans of Safe Care (POSC) pilot program at the national level. Dr. Courtney Everson, Senior Project Director at the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab) gave an invited presentation to more than 500 registrants through the […]

Pictured above: The Colorado Lab’s evaluation team on lived experience of prenatal substance use (L to R): Dr. Courtney Everson, Sr. Project Director, Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab; Ashley Miller, Peer Researcher; Sarah Brown, Peer Researcher. Not pictured: Jo Beletic, Staff Researcher, Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab; Alena Clark, External Research Partner. A new findings […]

The Colorado Lab partnered with the Colorado Child Abuse Prevention (COCAP) Trust Fund to develop a data-informed prevention investment strategy to help align and accelerate child maltreatment and family strengthening across Colorado. The investment strategy will be used by the COCAP Board to advance evidence-based decision making and smart state investments in child maltreatment prevention. […]

We celebrate the passage of two pieces of legislation this session that exemplify our commitment to evidence use and evidence building in Colorado. The first, House Bill (HB) 24-1428, advances the state’s vision of evidence-based decision making in policymaking to drive state investments and outcomes during budget requests. The second, State Bill (SB) 24-047, strengthens […]

“In academia, we often get stuck in an intellectual trap of doing evaluation for the sake of doing it even when it’s not making an impact in the world. I feel really motivated to seek out opportunities like this to work with government partners that care about doing rigorous research on programs they’re investing in,” […]

As the former Director of Strategy for the Colorado Department of Human Services and then the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, Yumiko Dougherty often turned to the Colorado Lab for support. As a result, Dougherty, who now leads the consulting firm Ignite the Change Advisors, leapt at the chance to partner with the Colorado Lab in […]

The Colorado Lab is working with Governor Polis’s Office of Operations to build agency capacity to achieve the administration’s Wildly Important Goals (WIGs). The WIGs, identified through an annual strategic planning process, help state leaders focus on and track progress toward selected priority efforts. Drs. Kristin Klopfenstein and Courtney Everson are partnering with state agencies […]

Colorado’s Five-Year Family First Prevention Services Plan (Colorado’s Plan) promotes use of evidence-based programs and services in child welfare to help keep children safe and more families together. The Colorado Lab leads the Family First Evidence-Building Hub on behalf of the Colorado Department of Human Services.  We recently released the State Fiscal Year 2024 Family First […]

We were pleased to present at the spring forum for the Colorado Hospitals Substance Exposed Newborn (CHoSEN) Quality Improvement Collaborative. The forum focused on evidence-based practices in caring for families affected by prenatal substance use and opportunities for innovation in collaborative care.  Dr. Courtney Everson, Senior Project Director for the Colorado Lab, co-presented a plenary session entitled Piloting […]

The Colorado Lab has launched a Workforce Development Evidence-Building Hub. The new Hub is a partnership with the Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative, the Colorado Wage Outcomes Result Coalition (Colorado WORC), Opportunity Now, and WorkRise at the Urban Institute. The aim is to learn more about support and training impacts on learner outcomes related to […]

The Colorado Lab is working with Philanthropy Colorado and state philanthropic leaders to determine how funders can best support their nonprofit grantee partners in collecting and learning from data. Foundation leaders have been invited to participate in monthly Community of Practice learning sessions through early 2025.  Natalie Portman-Marsh of NPM Consulting, LLC will facilitate the […]

Pictured above: Plans of Safe Care Pilot Team members (Illuminate Colorado, the Colorado Lab, and the Kempe Center) meet with partners from the San Luis Valley Area Health Education Center, the Rural Recovery Network, and Valley-Wide Health providers at Sierra Blanca Medical Center.) Efforts are underway in the San Luis Valley (SLV) to develop a […]

The Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel (ORPC) issued a press release sharing findings of an independent evaluation conducted by the Colorado Lab. The evaluation shows that using an interdisciplinary team to serve parents with complex needs leads to greater success in their child welfare case. Colorado’s ORPC is an independent state agency that provides legal […]

New terms have been added to the Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) Glossary. This resource provides terms that promote a shared understanding of key EBDM concepts.  EBDM is the intersection of the best available research evidence, decision-makers’ expertise, and community needs and implementation context. EBDM recognizes that research evidence is not the only contributing factor to […]

State agency and research partners recently joined us for a workshop on simplifying language. Building on a wealth of experience working with immigrants and English learners to communicate clearly, Lee Shainis developed the workshop to help nonprofits, government, and others communicate in a way that is easier for people to quickly understand. He walked our […]

The Fostering Opportunities Final Report on the Colorado Lab-led randomized controlled trial of Fostering Opportunities shows the groundbreaking program helped students in foster care to be successful in school and earn timely high school credentials. The program was piloted in Jefferson County (Jeffco) Public Schools.  Initial findings released last fall led to Fostering Opportunities becoming […]

Substance use during pregnancy is a growing issue that demands data-informed, family-centered solutions. Stigma about addiction and fears about child welfare involvement mean many pregnant individuals are reluctant to seek treatment and support. Plans of Safe Care (POSC) can be used to engage a network of known, trusted organizations and providers to reduce barriers to […]

The newly-released Family First Annual Evidence-Building Strategy Report provides ongoing guidance to the Colorado Department of Human Services and Family First implementation partners to ensure strategic investments in evidence-building for programs/services positioned to meet the needs of children, youth, and families. The report includes: In coordinating rigorous evaluation efforts through the Family First Evidence-Building Hub, […]

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) received over $700 million in federal and state stimulus funding in 2020-2021, with resources supporting 60+ activities that address pandemic recovery needs and advance the department’s strategic goals to strengthen and grow Colorado’s early childhood sector. Nearly half of the stimulus-funded activities are being evaluated, with the Colorado […]

In October, Drs. Courtney Everson and Kristin Klopfenstein presented on the development and initial implementation of the Evidence-Based Decision-Making (EBDM) approach in Colorado to state legislators, budget officers, and impact officers from 10 states. The invitation from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) to present to their Governing for Results Network in Nashville, Tennessee, […]

The Colorado Lab provided guidance and support to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) in creating two new videos about Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Consultation. The videos aim to grow understanding about how ECMH Consultation helps early childhood professionals and families across the state promote the mental health and healthy social-emotional development of […]

Between 2021 and 2022, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood received over $700 million in stimulus funding to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood sector. The Colorado Lab is coordinating the Early Childhood Evaluation Hub, contracting with multiple evaluation teams to conduct high-quality evaluations of more than a dozen prioritized stimulus-funded activities to ensure the goals of […]

This month, the Colorado Dashboards Project enters its third phase. We are excited to announce that as of October, the project will transition from the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab at the University of Denver to The Evaluation Center at the University of Colorado (CU) Denver.

The Colorado Lab periodically issues a call for statisticians to provide analytic support for various projects. Through our last open call in May 2023, we engaged: Our thanks to the robust pool of statisticians who responded to this call! We routinely reach out to individuals who have responded to previous calls when a new project […]

The Colorado Lab partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to study how research evidence can be best used in policymaking to drive equitable opportunities in perinatal health. Authorized by SB21-194 (Maternal Health Providers), the study used a mixed methods approach, including expert interviews with state government, policy, community, and family […]

Between 2021 and 2022, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood received over $700 million in stimulus funding to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood sector. The Colorado Lab is coordinating the Early Childhood Evaluation Hub, contracting with multiple evaluation teams to conduct high-quality evaluations of more than a dozen prioritized stimulus-funded activities to ensure the goals of […]

Last month, the 12th, 17th, and 21st Judicial District Attorneys’ (DA) Offices released their public facing dashboards, a huge step for enhancing transparency and advancing data-driven decision-making! These three offices joined the eight pilot offices, convening at the end of July to discuss their priorities for continued work.

Three Colorado District Attorneys’ (DA) offices—the 12th, 17th, and 21st Judicial Districts—unveiled “data dashboards” last month. The dashboards are a publicly available resource designed to promote more effective, just, and transparent decision-making in prosecution. This expands the reach of the Colorado Prosecutorial Dashboards project, building on the initial eight Judicial Districts that unveiled data dashboards […]

Efforts are well underway in Southwest Colorado to strengthen career and college pathways for rural students. This work is critically important with a mere 19% of students who attended high school in a rural community in the United States holding a college degree (see earlier blog post). The nonprofit Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative (SWCEC), initially […]

Between 2021 and 2022, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood received over $700 million in stimulus funding to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood sector. The Colorado Lab is coordinating the Early Childhood Evaluation Hub, contracting with multiple evaluation teams to conduct high-quality evaluations of more than a dozen prioritized stimulus-funded activities to ensure the goals of […]

The Colorado Lab recently convened policy decision-makers and influencers to co-develop strategies that Colorado can adopt to support evidence-based decision-making and drive equitable outcomes in perinatal health for all families. The convening was the culminating event on a project exploring how to improve the use of research evidence in perinatal policymaking. Investing in families in […]

More than one-third of college students report food insecurity, and evidence increasingly suggests this may be a barrier to degree and certificate completion. The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) offers a way to deliver nutritional assistance to students, yet fewer than half of eligible students participate. The Colorado Lab and LINC are supporting a nearly […]

Colorado’s 5-Year Family First Prevention Services Plan advances evidence-based programs and services to support child welfare-involved families with the goal of keeping children safe and more families together. The Colorado Lab leads the Family First Evidence-Building Hub on behalf of the Colorado Department of Human Services. We work with cross-system prevention partners to co-create a […]

Between 2021 and 2022, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood received over $700 million in stimulus funding to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood sector. The Colorado Lab is coordinating the Early Childhood Evaluation Hub, contracting with multiple evaluation teams to conduct high-quality evaluations of more than a dozen prioritized stimulus-funded activities to ensure the goals of […]

Since the February 2023 release of the disparity analyses, the pilot District Attorneys’ (DA) Offices have regrouped to discuss strategies to address racial/ethnic disparities at points of prosecutorial discretion. During this same period, the five new DA Offices that joined Phase 2 of the project have begun to review and make meaning of their data. […]

We were happy to present to local public policy and research leaders at last month’s Scrivner Policy Roundtable (see presentation video below). The event series is hosted by the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the University of Denver to foster collaboration and learning among Metro Denver policy organizations. To support Colorado leaders in making data […]

To reduce child maltreatment, numerous community- and system-level programs, policies, and practices have been put in place in Colorado. An important next step is identifying how best to coordinate, align, and maximize resources for these investments. The Colorado Child Abuse Prevention Trust Fund Board has partnered with the Colorado Lab to develop a data-informed prevention […]

Between 2021 and 2022, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood received over $700 million in stimulus funding to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood sector. The Colorado Lab is coordinating the Early Childhood Evaluation Hub, contracting with multiple evaluation teams to conduct high-quality evaluations of more than a dozen prioritized stimulus-funded activities to ensure the goals of […]

Stabilization and Sustainability Activities One set of activities supported by stimulus funding aims to sustain and stabilize the early childhood sector. This includes grants that support: Spotlight on External Research Partner Dr. Ann Wacker The Colorado Lab selected the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver, under the direction of Ann Wacker, PhD, […]

A new Colorado Lab training supports government and community-serving professionals to grow their understanding in the use of data for decision-making. The training, created by Drs. Courtney Everson and Lauren Gase, Senior Researchers/Project Directors with the Colorado Lab, was delivered most recently to the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference and to the Whole Child Consultative […]

The Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab) serves as the coordinating hub for Family First rigorous evaluation efforts on behalf of the Colorado Department of Human Services. In this role, we provide guidance and ensure strategic investments in evidence-building for promising programs, with the goal of informing selection and scaling of services that help […]

A series of new reports, developed through the Colorado Prosecutorial Dashboards project, provide Colorado District Attorneys’ Offices with a more in-depth understanding of racial and ethnic differences in their prosecution processes. The new reports, which build on data publicly available through data dashboards, offer a deeper dive into key points of prosecutorial discretion to understand […]

“Cash for Coloradans” is a program to provide direct cash support to people participating in nonprofit career-readiness programs. Funded by the Urban Institute’s WorkRise initiative, the cash support will flow through designated nonprofit organizations that serve low income individuals and underrepresented groups, including people of color and people returning to the community following incarceration. “Modest […]

Roger Low launched the nonprofit Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative in 2021 to create a more equitable economic ecosystem. As Founder and CEO, Low brings more than a decade of experience working on workforce development, economic mobility, and poverty alleviation. His public sector services include advising U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and launching the first three […]

We have reached two important project milestones. First, we are excited to release eight reports examining disparities at points of prosecutorial discretion. Second, we have five new District Attorneys’ (DA) Offices that have joined the project. In this newsletter, we discuss these important achievements and describe our plans for continued statewide scale.

The lack of reliable data on the prevalence of young people experiencing homelessness makes it difficult to provide responsive services or develop prevention strategies. To bridge this critical knowledge gap, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded the Center for Policy Research and the Colorado Lab to generate a more complete estimate […]

Lanae Davis has spent her career as a researcher at the Center for Policy Research, joining the team in 1997. Her research focuses broadly on addressing barriers to economic stability, including intensive studies of youth and young adult homelessness. Lanae’s familiarity of LINC and her understanding of the critical role data plays in identifying solutions […]

Update on the Colorado SB21-137 Data Linkage ProjectThe Colorado Lab is working with the Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention to better understand and address the growing issue of perinatal substance use. The vision for this project is to routinely track incident rates of perinatal substance use in Colorado and inform state investments, programs, and […]

Following the passage of Senate Bill 21-194 the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) partnered with the Colorado Lab to better understand barriers and facilitators to using research evidence during policy decision-making. The goal is to improve perinatal health and decrease disparities by ensuring Colorado decision-makers have the tools and support they need […]

Susan Hwang, MD has partnered with the Colorado Lab on the Substance Exposed Newborns project since its inception. Dr. Hwang is a neonatologist, health services researcher, and perinatal quality improvement expert at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She leads the Colorado Hospitals Substance Exposed Newborn (CHoSEN) Quality Improvement Collaborative […]

The Colorado Lab is excited to highlight two external research partners, Dr. Alena Clark and Dave Anderson! They join more than 70 skilled, passionate researchers we have had the pleasure of partnering with on diverse projects over the past 5 years. Bridge to the Research Community Watch for the next post in our special blog […]

The Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Children from Running Away from Out-of-Home Placement was established by House Bill 22-1375 for the purpose of analyzing the root causes of why children run away from out-of-home placement. The Colorado Lab conducted focus groups with children in out-of-home placement and young adults under 22 who aged out […]

Between 2021 and 2022, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) received over $465 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and ARPA Child Care and Development Fund supplemental discretionary award funding. This stimulus funding is focused on strategies to strengthen and expand the early childhood sector in Colorado and support families and the […]

Our congratulations to Dr. Whitney LeBoeuf, Director of Data Integration & Analytics for the Colorado Lab, on being appointed by the Governor to serve on the Early Childhood Leadership Commission! Together with Susan Steele, Dr. LeBoeuf co-chairs the Data Subcommittee which aims to promote the sharing and use of data for planning and accountability by […]

Laib Evaluation gathered feedback from RISE-funded and Colorado Lab-supported sites to better understand their experiences and to share learnings with funders, partners, and potential partner organizations. Evaluation results were overwhelmingly positive and are being used by the Colorado Lab to identify opportunities for improvement. Results show that the Colorado Lab facilitated collaboration across project teams […]

The Centennial Board of Cooperative Educational Services (Centennial BOCES) administers the largest Migrant Education Program (MEP) in Colorado, serving over 2,500 students in North Central and Northeast school districts and communities. Centennial BOCES secured RISE funding to address the unique needs of families in rural communities exacerbated by the pandemic (see earlier story). The Colorado […]

Montrose County School District directed RISE funds toward strengthening their Student Wellness and Engagement (SWE) program, building a tiered system of support to ensure students have their social-emotional needs met. The RISE funding supported the district in its work to develop a referral process and support systems to increase access to mental health resources in […]

With the support of a RISE grant, six Denver-area charter schools delivered summer programs that included academic, social-emotional, and experiential components (see earlier story). The Colorado Lab created a learning community to support these schools in sharing best practices and identifying and testing solutions to emerging challenges. In August, school leaders came together for the […]

We are excited to announce that the eight pilot offces have launched their publicfacing dashboards. In this newsletter we provide an overview of the September 8,2022 launch event and the links to each of the publicly available dashboards. Wediscuss how offices are utilizing data to enhance prosecutorial practices.

Pictured above: Some of the members of the Colorado Prosecutorial Dashboards project at the History Colorado Center following the press conference announcing the launch of data dashboards, including (left to right), Arnold Hanum with Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, Jo Beletic and Lauren Gase with the Colorado Lab, Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Christian Gardner-Wood with […]

The Colorado Lab is partnering with the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel (ORPC) to build evidence for their model of interdisciplinary team representation. Interdisciplinary team representation pairs an attorney with a social worker or parent advocate to address root causes of child welfare involvement, promote long-term family strengthening, and protect the fundamental right to parent. […]

The aim of Family First in Colorado is to support child welfare-involved families receiving evidence-based services and support that help to keep children safe and more families together. Our new Evidence-building for Family First: Rigorous Evaluation Annual Report provides ongoing guidance to ensure strategic investments in evidence-building for services and programs positioned to meet the needs […]

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) received over $465 million in American Rescue Plan Act and Child Care Development Fund funds to strengthen and expand the early childhood sector in Colorado and ensure all children have access to high-quality child care. CDEC is partnering with the Colorado Lab to build data collection and evaluation […]

Cover photo: Dolly Parton reads to children at The Library of Congress. Photo courtesy of Jake Tate; CPR News Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is inspiring a love of reading for children in Colorado, across the U.S. and around the globe. The nonprofit provides books at no cost to families with young children (0-5 years old) […]

In this newsletter we’re sharing information and updates on the steps our pilot sites are taking towards developing their prosecutorial dashboards. We describe what the first version of each District Attorney (DA) Office’s public-facing dashboard will look like, as well as their plans to share information through data stories. We then review two recent efforts […]

Colorado Lab studies informed an array of legislation in this year’s session, including bills that were passed to strengthen care and learning for preschoolers and increase pathways to high school graduation. Our efforts included working with partners to conduct research studies, providing expert testimony, and evaluating the effectiveness of models. HB22-1295 – Department of Early […]

SB21-194 – Maternal Health Provider A landmark bill that includes the requirement to assess use of research evidence in perinatal policymaking to reduce disparities in maternal care and reduce maternal mortality. The study seeks to understand what aids and what gets in the way of using research evidence in policy development and uptake related to […]

In this newsletter we’re sharing information and updates on the steps our pilot sites are taking to lay the groundwork for the development of their prosecutorial dashboards. We provide an example of the data review process and identify ideas for improving data quality. We then describe some community engagement strategies and how they add value […]

Through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the federal government provided $3.8 billion to Colorado in support of pandemic-related recovery efforts across health, education, economic development, housing, and other public sectors. The Colorado Lab is supporting the state in identifying opportunities to learn from these investments. The goal is for evaluation processes and […]

The Office of Early Childhood (OEC) at the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) received a $119 million increase in Child Care and Development Fund grant funding, authorized through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The funds will be used to help support the recovery and growth of the child care industry. Additionally, […]

Centennial BOCES (CBOCES), home to the state’s largest Migrant Education Program, provides educational services and opportunities to school districts across northern Colorado to support both small and large school districts in partnering on innovation. With funding support from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds (RISE) and implementation support from the Colorado Lab, CBOCES is addressing […]

It was such an honor to serve as a judge this year to help select recipients for the Tom Clements Better Government Award. The award honors the life and services of Tom Clements who, after 30 years of serving the public, was tragically killed while serving as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections. […]

The Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel (ORPC) is accepting referrals for indigent parents in Jefferson County whose unmet legal needs may be affecting the safety of their children. The pilot program launches this month and aims to connect parents to preventive legal services and keep families together by addressing legal problems such as housing and […]

The Colorado Lab is working with eight District Attorneys’ (DAs) Offices in Colorado to develop data dashboards to assist them with tracking progress toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, and fairness. Last month, we facilitated the second cross-jurisdiction learning meeting with elected DAs and implementation leads from each pilot site. The meeting provided an opportunity for offices […]

A warm welcome to Sara Bayless as she partners with the Colorado Lab in support of our work with the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families (Partnership). Dr. Bayless, who serves as a Director at the OMNI Institute, is skilled in conducting research and evaluation that helps organizations advance the evidence for their social programming. The […]

Welcome back! In this newsletter we’re sharing information and updates on the steps our pilot sites are taking to lay the groundwork for the development of their prosecutorial dashboards. We describe three foundational steps that offices across the state can use to begin their dashboard journey: conducting a capacity assessment, communicating within the office, and […]

Words reflecting social support and connections that can help families thrive as expressed by participants in five Colorado communities during Colorado Lab-facilitated listening sessions. A new Colorado Lab report features diverse and insightful learnings from community listening sessions that were held with parents/caregivers to better understand how social connections and support can help families thrive. Research […]

The pilot was designed to address this challenge by connecting home-based child care providers with home visitors who deliver evidence-based curriculums. Historically, home visitors and home child care providers have not interacted even though both play key roles in child development and family strengthening. “The home visiting pilot doesn’t feel like a revolutionary new program […]

The Colorado Lab is guiding and coordinating the ongoing rigorous evaluation of evidence-based services that are part of Colorado’s Family First Prevention Services Plan, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services. In our October newsletter, the Colorado Lab released a call for external research partners to support us in executing our evidence-building work […]

The Colorado Lab was honored to host Governor Polis and philanthropists at a convening on January 6th to discuss progress on Colorado’s RISE project. RISE—the Response, Innovation, and Student Equity fund—has awarded over $40 million to address the learning challenges in pre-K-12 through higher education related to the economic, social, and health impacts of COVID-19. […]

In Colorado, an estimated three out of four jobs require education or training beyond high school (Colorado Department of Education). Yet students in rural communities face an array of obstacles and disincentives to obtaining additional training, including: The result? Only 19% of students who attended high school in a rural community in the United States […]

In this periodic newsletter, we’re sharing information and updates about the newly launched Colorado Prosecutorial Dashboards Project. The goal of the project is to develop data dashboards to assist District Attorneys’ offices with tracking progress toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, and fairness. Increasingly, prosecutors are expected to take proactive, engaged responses to community problems, reduce disparities in justice […]

In April 2021, the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab released a report, Racial Disparities in Prosecutorial Outcomes, examining felony cases accepted for prosecution by the Denver District Attorney’s (DA) Office between July 2017 and June 2018. The study found that race and ethnicity were not associated with general plea offers extended. The study did find […]

Prosecutors are expected to take proactive, engaged responses to community problems, reduce disparities in justice outcomes, build greater trust through community engagement, and increase prosecutorial transparency and accountability. This requires robust data-driven prosecutorial work. The Colorado Lab, in partnership with the Prosecutorial Performance Indicators Project, is working with District Attorneys’ (DA) Offices from across the […]

Each year, Illuminate Colorado honors the contributions of an exceptional individual or organization who has made significant contributions to the field of child maltreatment prevention. This year’s award was presented to the Lab’s own Dr. Courtney Everson. Illuminate Colorado strengthens families, organizations, and communities statewide to prevent child maltreatment. They unite and lead the work […]

The Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families (Partnership) is made up of state and county human service, public health, health care, and early childhood systems that have the shared goal of significantly reducing child maltreatment and promoting family well-being in Colorado. Their work is critical with Colorado seeing a 12% increase in the number of children […]

A new study shows that medical costs decrease significantly when children in low-income families have improved access to food. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participation and Health Care Cost & Utilization for Health First Colorado Members, was issued by the Eugene S. Farley, Jr. Health Policy Center at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, […]

A survey of school superintendents across Colorado at the end of 2020 showed a high level of concern about the loss of student reading and math skills due to the pandemic, as well as negative impacts on the mental health of both students and teachers. National data confirm these worries; a McKinsey study shows the […]

The Family First Prevention Services Act incentivizes state systems and local agencies to move intentionally toward child welfare approaches that prioritize keeping kids safe and families together. This legislation authorizes federal reimbursement to states for the delivery of evidence-based services aimed at preventing the need for foster care. Eligibility for these federal funds requires ensuring […]

The Colorado legislature passed a monumental bill during the 2021 session that approved the launch of a brand new state Department of Early Childhood in the Executive Branch. This makes Colorado one of a handful of states that has an entire agency dedicated to early childhood policies and programs. The development of this new agency […]

Bennett 29J, Strasburg 31J, and Weld RE-3J School Districtst As the 2020 school year wound down, the Children’s Hospital of Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health. Atop already high needs, the impacts of COVID-19 were devastating, resulting in a 90% increase in demand for behavioral health treatment and the emergence of […]

Nationally, COVID-19 has highlighted the instability of relying on a small number of school counselors to guide hundreds of students through changing academic hurdles, prepare them for an uncertain future, and triage increasing mental health challenges. Colorado has one of the lower students-per-counselor ratios nationally—with 295 students per counselor in the 2019-20 school year—in part […]

Benefits of Home Visitation Home visiting services  are a crucial element of the support system available in Colorado to families with young children. Evidence shows home visitation provides multiple, sustained benefits for children, caregivers and families: Colorado’s Home Visiting Investment Task Force was formed by the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) and charged with developing […]

Connecting families with concrete resources that meet basic needs and support economic well-being can lower stress and help parents to create long-term stability for their family. The Colorado Community Response (CCR) program is using this approach to reduce incidents of child neglect and abuse. Administered by the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) in the Colorado […]

Substance use during pregnancy impacts people of all races, incomes, education and employment levels, across geographic regions, with young women and those living in poverty most deeply impacted. In Colorado, the state health department reported a 98% increase in newborns exposed to opioids prenatally between 2012-2018, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration […]

Several significant bills passed this legislative session, strengthening opportunities to improve the lives of Colorado residents across the lifespan, from prenatal care to early childhood development to adult services. The Colorado Lab worked together with state and local government agencies, legislators, the Governor’s Office, research colleagues, and subject matter experts to inform this suite of […]

The Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Early Childhood (OEC), which administers the Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Consultation Program, announced funding for 47 consultants statewide, an increase of nearly 38% from 2019 (34 consultants). The free and confidential program pairs mental health consultants with the adults who work directly with infants and young […]

We are excited to share that the Colorado legislature approved SB21-138, aimed at improving support for individuals in the criminal justice system with a brain injury. The Colorado Lab-supported study Reducing Recidivism for Justice Involved Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury informed and prompted creation of law. Our research shows that 25-87% of inmates report having […]

With climate change a growing concern globally, Governor Jared Polis set the ambitious goal of reaching 100% renewable energy in Colorado by 2040. The Governor outlined a roadmap, calling the goal a moral imperative to fight climate change and curb pollution of our air and water, as well as an opportunity to drive innovation in […]

Only one in four Colorado students who experience foster care during high school graduate with their class. Most interventions aimed at improving the graduation rates of youth who experience foster care are spearheaded by child welfare agencies or the judicial system with services typically ending when students exit the foster care system. Yet there is evidence […]

We are pleased to welcome Denver Public Schools and the Colorado Judicial Branch (adult and juvenile state courts) as new partners to the Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC). LINC was created through the Lab’s partnership with the Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology to help state and local government agencies harness data to inform […]

Colorado Lab Snapshot Report and Linked Information Network of Colorado key to request The Colorado Lab is dedicated to creating actionable research. A recent effort to create a snapshot of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce, funded by the Piton Foundation and the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation, was no exception. The Snapshot Report demonstrated that […]

As the pandemic challenges all students seeking to succeed in college, a new study examines the barriers that young people in foster care have long faced, and the supports that make a difference for them. These findings guide the way to the policies and practices that will benefit all youth in these difficult times. From […]

Throughout Colorado, more high school students than ever are taking college courses before graduation. The state supports this through a program called Concurrent Enrollment and a new report from the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab shows that it has the power to help students graduate from college and earn more in their early careers. Recognizing […]

Calls for criminal justice reform ring loud in Colorado. Overburdening of the corrections system is a part of the problem, driven in large part by the state’s rate of recidivism. Half of people convicted of crimes in Colorado return to the criminal justice system within three years. Seeking a deeper understanding of the issue, researchers […]

In the early days of the pandemic, many child care centers and other educational institutions temporarily shut down, while essential workers, particularly in the health care industry, desperately needed care for their own children. Countless early childhood educators lost their jobs in the closures, yet centers that remained open to care for the children of […]

As the nation celebrates the class of 2020 and the resilience of graduates during a worldwide pandemic, it can be easy to forget that some students face huge challenges to high school graduation even in “normal” times. Living in foster care can make school feel like a perpetual marathon. In Jefferson County, a program called […]

The Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, in collaboration with Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Corrections, is proud to co-host the Colorado Criminal Justice Forum. Via a press release from the Colorado Department of Public Safety: “Colorado Governor Jared Polis will host a […]