Prevention Investment Strategy

The Colorado Child Abuse Prevention Trust Fund provides leadership, collaborative support, and advising and makes recommendations regarding child maltreatment prevention planning, implementation, alignment, and investments across Colorado, with a statutorily-defined focus on primary and secondary prevention. The Colorado Lab is developing a multi-year Prevention Investment Strategy Plan that promotes better data-informed decision-making and smart state investments in child maltreatment prevention.

Early Childhood Evaluation Hub

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) received stimulus funds in 2021 and 2022 to fund recovery efforts for the child care industry. The strategic focus is on strengthening and expanding the early childhood sector in Colorado to ensure all children have access to high-quality child care. The Colorado Lab serves as the research and evaluation hub for these stimulus-funded activities on behalf of CDEC.

Support for the Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Children from Running Away from Out-of-Home Placement

The Timothy Montoya Task Force to Prevent Children from Running Away from Out-of-Home (OOH) Placement was created to analyze the root causes of why children run away from OOH placement. The Colorado Lab conducted focus groups with children in out-of-home placement and young adults under 22 who have aged out of the child protection system to assist the task force in fulfilling its duties.

Early Childhood Stimulus Funding Evaluation

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.

sara bayless

Sara Bayless Named External Research Partner

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.

two pregnant persons

Use of Research Evidence in Prenatal Policies

SB 21-194 (Maternal Health) includes a provision authorizing a study on the use of research evidence (URE) in policies related to the perinatal period in Colorado. The Colorado Lab partnered with CDPHE to conduct this study and develop data-informed guidance for improving URE in policy creation and uptake, with the goal of reducing perinatal health disparities.

family of five looking up

Family Support through Primary Prevention

The Family Support through Primary Prevention (FSPP) project is intended to reduce child maltreatment and improve family well-being for Colorado families ages prenatal to 5, with a focus on the first year of life. The Colorado Lab serves as the skilled evaluator to build evidence for the primary prevention strategies prioritized by FSPP partners.

COVID masked mother holding baby

Early Childhood Stimulus Funding Evaluation Planning

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is dedicated to evaluating stimulus-funded activities to ensure the goals of the funds were met and to assess their influence on providers, families, and the workforce supporting young children. CDEC partnered with the Colorado Lab to support evaluation planning of the stimulus-funded activities so the best possible evaluation strategies were pursued.