The Colorado Lab will serve as the coordinator of Family First rigorous evaluation efforts on behalf of the State to ensure strategic investments in evidence-building for services/programs positioned to meet the needs of Colorado’s children, youth, and families.
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.
SB21-118 created an Alternative Response pilot program for Adult Protective Services. The Colorado Lab is partnering with CDHS and up to 15 urban and rural counties to develop and evaluate an alternative to a full investigative approach that will allow county departments of human services to respond to lower-risk reports of mistreatment or self-neglect of an at-risk adult.
This project will provide intelligence to the new Department of Early Childhood regarding early childhood program participation and guidance about creating a common identifier to track program participation in the future.
The Colorado Lab supported the Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Early Childhood in their rebuild of the new Professional Development Information System for early childhood professionals.