Colorado Home Visiting Investment Plan
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:
- Promotes child health, development, and school readiness.
- Improves positive parenting practices and caregiver mental health.
- Increases family functioning.
- Reduces child maltreatment and family violence.
Colorado’s Home Visiting Investment Task Force was formed by the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) and charged with developing a set of recommendations to expand access, promote equity, and increase the quality of home visiting services across the state. Dr. Courtney Everson, Senior Researcher and Project Director for the Colorado Lab, serves as a task force member and chaired the Innovations Committee.
Following nearly a year of work by the task force—and years of groundwork leading up to the task force being convened—the Home Visiting Investment Plan was officially released on August 18th. Senator Rhonda Fields, who endorsed the task force process, provided opening remarks at the plan release event at the Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion. The event brought together task force members, parent representatives, state legislators, the Governor’s Office staff members, providers, and other home visiting champions.
Members of the task force developed recommendations in partnership with families, communities, providers, policymakers, and system leaders. Recommendations will help to:
- Expand Access: To reach more families and ensure culturally and linguistically-appropriate services.
- Grow Innovations: Capitalize on lessons learned and innovations achieved—like virtual service delivery—as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to maximize service efficiencies.
- Provide Consistency: Increase advocacy and partnerships to achieve more consistent service provision across the state, regardless of the program providing services.
- Strengthen Profession: To grow and diversify the workforce and reduce burnout, recognize home visitors as professionals who contribute to the overall health of Colorado families.
The task force has been re-authorized by ECLC and will continue its work by planning approaches to effectively implement all recommendations. Collectively, their efforts will focus on expanding and strengthening home visiting to further promote well-being for children and family.
Read the Home Visiting Investment Plan to see all recommendations. To learn more, contact Dr. Courtney Everson.