Family First News
- Thank you to everyone who responded to our call for interest regarding the Motivational Interviewing (MI) Pilot, set to begin by June of this year. Noelle Smith is heading up this work, so please reach out to her with any questions you may have about MI training, participation in the pilot, or other Family First related questions.
Core News
- The Core Services Evaluation Report will utilize data for the 2025 calendar year. This data will be pulled on May 1, 2026, by the Colorado State University Social Work Research Center. Agencies must ensure that all pertinent Core Services, authorization, and other related data have been entered into Trails Mod before the May 1st date. This will be utilized for the 2024-2025 Core Services Evaluation Report that is due October 1, 2026. If you have any questions, please contact Yerson Padilla.
- The Core Services Program Plan Template is beginning its journey through the Clearance process at CDHS. Our goal is to have it available to begin using by the end of March. Stay tuned!
- The Core Services Program Annual Evaluation Report Workgroup met for the first time on February 2nd. In the meeting, we looked at the evaluation highlights, strategy, and recommendations for the future of the evaluation report. We also reviewed the statutory requirements and the goal of the report. The workgroup will meet again on March 2, from 1:00 pm – 2:00pm (Google Meet). Please join us as we continue to discuss the evolution of the evaluation report.
- When closing Core Service Authorizations, take a moment to review the options and select the accurate closure reason in Trails. The service effectiveness outcome indicates how effective each service was at achieving the intended treatment objective(s). Caseworkers have access to various reasons for selecting a closure outcome. These closure reasons are reviewed at the state level to determine the impact Core Services is having. This data also informs the yearly Core Services Program – Family Preservation Report completed by CSU and received by the governor each year. Remember the importance of choosing the correct closure reason for Core services. A service closure, such as when a client moves from one provider to another, should not be automatically interpreted as a failure. Instead, this transition should be viewed as a positive development, indicating the client’s continued engagement in therapy and the potential move to a provider who is a better match.
- Core Services Office Hours (Google Meet) will be held on Wednesday, February 25, from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. As a reminder, this is a space for counties to ask questions, seek clarification, or share information with our team.
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Program Area 3 (PA3) News
- It’s LIVE! Program Area 3 (PA3) Report (Google Doc). If you aren’t sure how to find the report, run the report, or what the report will contain, attached is a handy-dandy guide. Please let Amy Sciangula know if you have any questions or if the report isn’t meeting its intended purpose.
- When PA3 moved to Mod, we discovered that those county staff without certified casework staff profiles could NOT be assigned primary on an open PA3. Some counties have staff, such as life skills coaches, that are assigned primary through an open PA3 to support families. The Trails team is looking to have a profile available for these staff to be assigned as primary but need to know what job titles to enter. If this situation is something your county is experiencing, please take just a moment to complete this form (Google Form) to help build the new profile. Responses are needed by March 2.
- The Child Welfare Prevention Task Group (CWPTG) has moved to a new day and time. Starting on Monday, March 9, the group will meet the second Monday of each month from 12:00 until 1:30 pm. If you aren’t on the invitation list, feel free to join the meeting via Google Meet or by phone (1-470-327-0960, Pin 969 597 293#). As a reminder, this group has been tasked with the development of a Best Practices Guide for those counties using or wanting to begin use of Program Area 3 (PA3) prevention.
- Did you know that PA3 has closure options specific to prevention. Prior to moving to Mod, closure reasons in Legacy were the same as those available in assessments and child welfare cases. Adding reasons for closure specific to PA3 involvement is a HUGE step forward as we look at consistent data collection across the state. When closing PA3, take a moment to review the options and select the accurate closure reason in Trails.
Memo Spotlight
- Memo number: IM-OCYF-2025-0002 (PDF) – Medicaid Incarceration Indicator
- Memo number: OM-CW-2026-005 (PDF) – Data Sharing between County Child Welfare and Regional Accountable
- Memo number: OM-CW-2026-003 (PDF) – Relative Guardianship Assistance Program Review Process for 2026
- Memo number: IM-CW-2026-007 (PDF) – Notification to Potential Relatives and Kin Template Update
- Memo number: IM-CW-2026-005 (PDF) – Annual Minimum Wage Change
County Space
Email Amy Sciangula or Yerson Padilla your news, ideas, or questions for the September edition.
County Question: I am hoping to get clarification on the Core Services Regional Allocation. I assume that our County still holds the role of regional fiscal agent and contract coordinator, as we receive the regional Mental Health and Substance Abuse allocation each year. Is this correct?
Answer: Core Services Regional Allocation is distributed amongst 8 different regions to provide Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment. Counties have the option to develop an intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for their regional allocation, though it is not mandatory. If developed, the MOU can specify various details important to the counties, such as the preferred system for referrals to contracted provider(s) and expectations regarding billing.
Varies by Region – If a specific contract is required by one of the regional counties, the county may work with the provider to develop the necessary scope and budget. Once this is completed, the county would contact their host County to complete the contract process.
Please review the Regional Core Allocation Guide (Google Doc) for additional information.
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Resources
- SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, April 25th starting at 10:00 am join families and community providers from around the state for Child Abuse Awareness Month. More information about free admission and events planned will be announced in the March newsletter.
- The CO Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) is pleased to invite you to register for a free (Zoom), informational webinar on February 24, from 9 to 11 a.m., focused on the implementation of House Reconciliation bill (H.R. 1, formerly the One Big Beautiful Bill Act). You are welcome to share this invitation with others who may wish to attend. This event will share Medicaid related updates on the most recent CMS guidance, the implementation timeline of H.R. 1 for key changes such as semi-annual renewals and community engagement/work requirements, and opportunities for stakeholders to engage with us in the process. The webinar will also address the top concerns we heard from more than 700 respondents to our H.R.1 survey, including:
- Services covered by Medicaid
- State budget challenges and Medicaid sustainability work
- Provider fees, payments and tax provisions
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- The importance of prioritizing our north star: mitigating coverage losses and the down streaming catastrophic consequences to Coloradans, providers, and the economy
- The next County Prevention Neighbors meeting is scheduled for March 17, from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services (14980 E Alameda Dr (14980 E Alameda Dr, Aurora) in the Littleton Room. This meeting is a county-led meeting that focuses on county-specific resources, tools, and information in relation to prevention and/or Program Area 3 in child welfare. Currently, the majority of attendees are from the Denver-metro area however, the meeting is open to all counties and those from outside of the metro are encouraged to attend. The meeting is hybrid, so please contact Linley Severson to request the virtual link to join.
- The 2026 tax season is here and many Colorado families with children are eligible to receive tax credits. People do not need to earn a lot of cash to claim them. Tax credits support healthier Colorado children, families, and communities and many Colorado families miss out on claiming their refund. A new study (PDF) estimates that Colorado’s Family Affordability Tax Credit and other supportive credits reduced child poverty by 37% in Colorado last year. Among the tax credits available for 2026, the new Care Worker Tax Credit is a $1,200 refundable credit for qualified child care and direct care workers. Do you work with families in Colorado? Use the Get Ahead Colorado Partner Toolkit to support your outreach. Sample activities you can join in on:
- Print and hand out flyers
- Direct families to visit Get Ahead Colorado and Hacia Adelante Colorado to learn more about free and low cost tax filing and what credits they may be eligible for with the Tax Credit Calculator. The Get Ahead Colorado and Hacia Adelante Colorado campaigns are part of CDPHE’s Economic Mobility Program, which aims to decrease child poverty and improve the economic well-being and health outcomes of all Coloradans across the course of their lives and across generations.
- A quick reminder that the Call for Proposals is open for the 2026 Strengthening Colorado Families and Communities Conference (SCFCC). In 2024, SCFCC featured 69 breakout sessions, with more than 70% of participants reporting that sessions were valuable, increased their knowledge and skills, and gave them tools that they could apply directly in their work. You can create an impact like that! Don’t wait! Submit your proposal now and help shape the conversations at this year’s conference, happening August 26-28, 2026 in Keystone, Colorado, with the theme Stronger Together: Inspiring Change, Nurturing Hope.
- Social Media Spotlight: What Happens After Someone Calls the Hotline (Instagram). Check out and learn about what happens after someone calls the Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. Colorado organizations serving children and families who would like to have their work highlighted in a future CO4Kids Instagram post can reach out to Public Awareness Communications Specialist, Carla Rodríguez.
Training Opportunities
- Let’s Get to the Core of the Core Services Program Town Hall – Thursday, March 12 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm. Join us for a discussion about everything you want and may need to know when it comes to the Core Services Program. Topics include a brief overview of the program’s purpose and history, county funding structures, eligibility requirements, the use of Core Services in all Program Areas, how Colorado receives reimbursement from the Federal Government when Core Services are used, the importance of accurately entering Core Contracts and Service Authorizations, and where to find the rules that outline Core Services? We anticipate having time for questions at the end of the presentation, so please bring any topics you would like to discuss.
- The Colorado Fatherhood Network’s February Webinar (Zoom)- Thursday, February 19 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm. Learn from a panel of child support professionals on how dads can be supported with their local child support office. Contact Alexa at aschaffer@cofamilycenters.org with any questions.
Funding Opportunities
None to share this month
Employment Opportunities
As Seen Around Colorado
Name: Giovanni Flores
Position: Lighthouse Community Case Manager
County: Weld County
A family was referred for concerns of the youngest daughter (8) lashing out to her family. She would refuse to go to school, bite her father when he gave her any kind of instruction, only wear old black clothes, not participate in school, and throw things in the home. The family had recently started their own business but struggled many times as their daughter would make it difficult for them to keep regular business hours open. Throughout the case, the family participated in a family mentoring program, Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and school evaluations. Through intensive case management, the family really learned how to work with one another by completing the mentoring program. They became very close as a family. The parents completed TBRI courses, and learned how to support their daughter when she was feeling overwhelmed. They were given an Individualized Education Program (IEP) letter from their case manager and successfully got the right supports in place for their daughter at school. After working with the youth on an almost daily basis, the family now reports school is going great, their daughter is not biting her father anymore, she wears colorful clothes, and their business is thriving. They continue to keep in contact with their case manager and will reach out in the future if they need support. Out of my 9 years of working with Weld County, this case is my most successful case. The family was willing to work, communicate and was ready to make change in their home. Because of these reasons I believe the family changed their outcome on success.
The family still keeps in touch with me to this day. They were wonderful to work with. |
February Fun Question
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