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Prevention and Core Services Monthly Newsletter
July 2025
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July is Disability Pride Month. Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July to honor the history, achievements, experiences and struggles of the disability community in recognition of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. According to the CDC, one in four Americans has a disability. Worldwide, about one billion people—or 15% of humanity’s population—live with a disability. Despite this prevalence, stigmas about disabilities and the people who have them are pervasive, and barriers to opportunity and full participation in society exist. Recent advances with screen readers, braille displays, auto-captioning functionality and screen magnifiers—coupled with the normalization of remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic—have allowed many more disabled people to enter the workforce and participate equally.
The design of the Disability Pride Flag is intentionally inclusive of diverse disabilities. The diagonal stripes represent intercommunal solidarity in cutting across barriers, in contrast to what the designer, Ann Magill, sees as the traditional vertical walls and horizontal ceilings that keep disabled people isolated. The colors used represent all six standard international flag colors to signify that the disability community is wide-reaching—but muted to lessen a nausea trigger for those who suffer from migraines and with red and green clearly separated to help those with color blindness. Each color represents a different type of disability: physical (red), cognitive and intellectual (yellow), invisible and undiagnosed (white), psychosocial (blue), and sensory (green). Finally, the charcoal background symbolizes mourning and rage for the victims of ableist violence and abuse.
At CDHS, we consistently reflect on how we show up in the community, as well as with one another, in our commitment to foster inclusivity. This month, and every month, ask yourself and your colleagues what this looks like in your community.
Have an amazing July,
Amy, Yerson, and Noelle
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Family First News
- Colorado’s Federal reimbursement structure for Family First is set-up differently from other jurisdictions. All reimbursement received is held by The Colorado Child Abuse Prevention (COCAP) Trust Fund for future disbursement. We just learned that COCAP has a retreat scheduled in September to discuss recommendations on how Family First Federal Reimbursement funds should be dispersed in Colorado. COCAP has a lot to consider, such as who can apply for funds, what the application process will entail, and amounts available. Spending authority of up to $350,000 during SFY 25-26 has been approved, which gives COCAP some parameters in their recommendation discussion and includes some urgency in final considerations. We will be sure to share information as it becomes available.
- As you read this newsletter, Amy Sciangula is in Kentucky meeting with other states about community pathways and Federal reimbursement. We are anxious to learn what other jurisdictions are doing in this new area and how we might possibly be able to apply this to PA3 and other situations.
- The next Child Welfare Prevention Task Group (CWPTG) is scheduled to meet on August 8, from 1:30 until 3:00 via Google Meet. If you have a topic or suggestion for the agenda, please let Noelle Smith (email) know. You can email Amy Sciangula (email) if you would like to be added to the invite/distribution list.
Core News
- Are you curious about the status of your Core Services Plan submission? Are you in a healthy competition with your county partners to see who can hit green first? Be sure to check the Core Services Dashboard. Included is the submission status:
- Not Submitted in Red
- Submitted under review in Yellow
- Complete in Green
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- Core Services and Child Welfare Quarterly will be on Monday, July 28th, from 2:00pm - 3:30pm (Google Calendar). As always, the meeting is hybrid; the meeting will be in person in Durango, at the La Plata County Human Services. Please feel free to join us in person or online.
- Core allocations have been released! Please check your allocation for the 2025-26 state fiscal year, (Memo OM-CW-2025-0016), (PDF) as you complete and submit your Core Plans. As a reminder, Core Plans are due on Friday, 8/29. As you develop your 25-26 Plan, it is a great time to run the Core Services Utilization report and/or the Core Services Contract Report (in Trails Legacy). These tools can help you to identify trends in spending, utilization of certain contracts, and where your Core funding was used the most in 2024-25.
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Core Services Office Hours (Google Meet) for July will be on Monday, 7/21 from 2-3pm. Have a question about something in your Plan, if Core funding can be used for a certain service, aren’t sure how to enter a Core contract in Mod? Drop in and let’s chat.
Program Area 3 (PA3) News
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County Prevention Contact List Survey (Google Forms) - We are seeking insight into counties' use of child welfare prevention programming and the use of Program Area 3. We are also hoping to collect information on the general programming structure of prevention programs if they are in use. Please complete the survey even if you do not have a specific prevention program, as there are still questions applicable.
- The Program Area 3 Workgroup will meet on July 21, from 11:00 until noon (Google Meet). The discussion will be centered around consistent use of closure reasons for PA3. If you would like to attend, please let Amy Sciangula know. Also, if your county has a current “definition” sheet they use for Core and PA3 closures and you are willing to share it, please forward that to Amy Sciangula (email).
- A little birdie told us that PA3 is coming to Trails Mod very soon. Keep your eyes open for announcements coming, which will include many training opportunities and a new PA3 report each county can run.
Memo Spotlight
- Memo number: OM-CW-2025-0016 (PDF) - SFY 2025-26 Core Services Program Allocation and Plan. The purpose of this memorandum from the Division of Child Welfare is to communicate the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025-26 Core Services Program annual allocation and planning process.
- Memo number: OM-CW-2025-0017 (PDF) - Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Rule Revisions.
- Memo number: IM-CSS-2025-0003 (PDF) - Child Support Services 2025 Legislative Update
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County Space
County Space - Feel free to email Amy Sciangula (email), Noelle Smith (email), or Yerson Padilla (email) your news, ideas, or questions.
County Question: Can we have an Independent Living (IL) case and a PA3 case open at the same time?
Answer: No. You would not have two cases open at the same time and PA3 is a “case” in Trails. If you are going to use core, you can use it under the open IL case if it fits the criteria of core.
7.303.11 Program Goals The goals of the Core Services Program are to:
- Focus on the family strengths by directing intensive services that support and strengthen the family and/or protect the child;
- Prevent out-of-home placement of the child;
- Return children in placement to their own home; or
- Unite children with their permanent families. Provide services that protect the child. “To return children in placement to their own home or to unite children with their permanent families” is defined as return to the home of a parent, an adoptive placement, guardianship, supervised independent living placement, foster-adoption placement or to live with a relative/kin if the goal for the child in the Family Services Plan is to remain in the placement on a permanent basis.
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Resources/Information
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- Trails MOD update Case Resource guide (Google Doc), which includes the Case Job Aid (Google Doc).
- Each Summer, Reports to the Colorado Child Abuse Hotline Drop: Kids Need Champions. In Colorado, many schools begin summer break in mid-May and resume in early August. For some kids, this means time to rest, play and explore. But for many parents and caregivers, summer brings extra challenges – like finding affordable summer camps or child care, providing extra meals or juggling work schedules. These added pressures can increase the risk of child abuse and neglect. Each Summer Reports to the Colorado Child Abuse Hotline Drop: Kids Need Champions Blog Post
- Project 1.27 Recruits and Supports Foster Families Across Colorado. Project 1.27 is a Christian non-profit that started in 2004 to help connect kids in foster care with families through local churches. Over the last 20 years, it has grown into an organization that collaborates with churches across the state to recruit, train and retain foster families. Their mission is to help churches and families care for children through faith-based support, including family preservation, kinship care, foster care and adoption. Spanning the state, the organization is active in the Denver Metro area, the Western Slope, and in Northern Colorado. Project 1.27 Recruits and Supports Foster Families Across Colorado Blog Post
Training Opportunities
- August 6th, 12:00 pm ICWA Multi-Agency Training
Join us 12:00pm - 2:00pm for an update on ICWA law and practice as a result of HB25-01204. Presented by: Colorado Office of Respondent Parents' Counsel, The Office of the Child's Representative, Colorado Department of Human Services, Casey Family Programs, and the City Attorney's Office.
Registration Link (Zoom).
Funding Opportunities
Are you a child welfare and dedicated yoga professional who is passionate about serving your community? The Give Back Yoga Foundation is now accepting applications for their 2025 Yoga Service Grant! Applications are open now through September 30th. Applicants must be current Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teachers (RYTs) or hold C-IAYT credentials from the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). The grant supports yoga teachers and therapists whose service work contributes to initiatives such as the following:
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- Expanding yoga’s reach to underserved populations
- Addressing the unique issues faced by special populations
- Advocating for the integration of yoga in healthcare settings, schools, or correctional facilities.
- Scaling yoga’s access through education, training, research, or outreach projects
Employment Opportunities
As Seen Around Colorado
CDHS Attends and Walks with Denver Pride! Over 100 staff at CDHS and their families walked in the Denver Pride parade on June 29th. Celebrating Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, CDHS staff volunteered to recruit Foster Parents during the Denver Pride Festival. Letting community members know about the opportunities to foster or how to help foster communities across Colorado.
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Check out this fun reel from CO4Kids' Instagram!
Colorado organizations serving children and families who would like to have their work highlighted in a future CO4Kids Instagram reel can reach out to Public Awareness Communications Specialist, Carla Rodríguez (email).
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