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New Research Provides Insight and Recommendations for Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
Denver (Nov. 10, 2021) – New research from Illuminate Colorado (Illuminate) examines data and trends related to child sexual abuse in Colorado and presents recommendations for preventing abuse statewide. The study also highlights known solutions to the problem of...
Eight Ways to Strengthen Your Family and Community Before the End of the Year
Since November 1, Illuminate has been shining a light on ways you can get involved and illuminating ways that you can strengthen your family and the families in your neighborhood this holiday season. If you feel strongly about supporting your community, protecting the...
NEW Trauma-Informed Communication and Care Provider Education Series
“We regularly hear from our colleagues that they recognize the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach to patient care, but very few have had the opportunity to receive formal training on trauma-informed care and communication,” said Dr. Laurie Halmo,...
Five Minutes With My Congressman
Recently, I had a chance to talk with an aide from the 4th district represented by Congressman Ken Buck about the FASD Respect Act (H.R. 4151 and S.2238). This piece of legislation could change my family’s life and potentially prevent hundreds of thousands of...
Hero’s Health Grant from CHC: Creating Healthier Communities Supports Fathers of Freedom in Colorado Springs
Today Creating Healthier Communities (CHC) announced Illuminate Colorado as one of four awardees of its Hero’s Health grant. The $10,000 grants, awarded to CHC nonprofit partners committed to serving active and retired military communities through program and service...
New Research Provides Insight and Recommendations for Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
Denver (Nov. 10, 2021) – New research from Illuminate Colorado (Illuminate) examines data and trends related to child sexual abuse in Colorado and presents recommendations for preventing abuse statewide. The study also highlights known solutions to the problem of...
Illuminating Child Care is Expanding to the San Luis Valley
Over the course of the next couple of months, the Early Childhood Council of the San Luis Valley is taking Acorn - Illuminate's newest renovated RV providing on-site child care - on a tour of the San Luis Valley, stopping at locations that are helping to strengthen...
Shape Our Future–Vote!
Every election is an opportunity to shape our communities, and the 2021 election is no different. While there are no people on the ballot, there are a number of state and local financial issues that will impact the lives of Colorado kids and families. The 2021...
Illuminate Colorado Is Hiring an Evaluation & Strategic Learning Associate
We are excited to announce that we are hiring an Evaluation & Strategic Learning Associate! Under the guidance of the Director of Evaluation and Strategic Learning, the Evaluation & Strategic Learning Associate will work across the organization to support...
Has your family been impacted by substance use during pregnancy?
If the answer to this question is yes, then there is an opportunity waiting for you to channel your experiences into change. Several spots on the Family Advisory Board are opening up in 2022. Your perspective is needed to build a Colorado that equitably serves all...
Back to BCEs – Strengthening Families through Benevolent Childhood Experiences
Having studied Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for many years, Dr. Angela Narayan, an assistant professor in the clinical child psychology doctoral program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver, felt like the field of child abuse prevention...
Birthing Hospitals Poised to Help Every Baby Sleep Safe in Colorado
Many years ago, hospitals weren’t required to ensure that new babies went home in a car seat. That simple act of normalizing car seat safety as infants leave the hospital and head home with new, and often overwhelmed, parents and caregivers has no doubt saved...
Seeking New Board Members
Are you passionate about strengthening families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment? Illuminate Colorado is growing our board of directors. We are seeking passionate, dedicated individuals representing multi-cultural perspectives and/or life experiences to join our Board of Directors.
Tools of the Caseworker’s Trade: Using the Toxicology Resource Guide in the Field
The Toxicology Resource Guide was designed as a resource to support caseworkers not only during trainings, but also in the field. It is imperative that child welfare caseworkers have the tools they need to meet the needs of the families they serve. Since substance use...
Circle of Parents Is Not Just for the Parents
Finding community can sometimes be difficult, especially in a rural setting. From getting answers to all your parenting questions to something as simple as finding a babysitter, it’s helpful to have a group of people you can go to for support. For one mother in...
A Deeper Dive Into the Toxicology Resource Guide
Toxicology results can be complicated to understand. The results may or may not tell us whether the environment is safe for the children, who was exposed to a substance, or shed light on the strengths and protective capacities of caregivers and children. Even the...
Pivoting During a Pandemic
The year 2020 brought with it unprecedented challenges and opportunities to fulfill our mission to strengthen families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment. Monitoring local and national health reports and directives regarding the spread of...
When Parenthood Comes Full Circle
As I kissed her goodbye and blessed her “Dios Te Bendiga” (“God Bless You”), I walked away among the swarm of frantic and emotional parents just like me on moving day at the college dorms. Exiting the dorm building, I found a quiet place on campus, my mind suddenly...
Toxicology, But Make It Understandable
Have you heard about the Toxicology Resource Guide? It was developed by toxicology experts working with Illuminate Colorado, the Colorado Office of Children, Youth, & Families and Children’s Hospital. The Toxicology Resource Guide was developed to support Colorado...
It’s About Respect: Building the Foundation for Change this FASD Awareness Month
September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month. As the Colorado affiliate of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), our organization is raising awareness all month long to help more professionals, parents and caregivers...
Request for Information
Illuminate Colorado is looking for a skilled and collaborative partner that will support our organization in implementing the Conversation Guide for Professionals on Substance Use, Children & Families in four states (Region 1) with the possibility of expanding to...
New Colorado Youth Thrive Collaborative Aims to Improve Youth Well-Being
Illuminate Colorado has been working to increasing community and family protective factors since our formation in 2017 and long before through our founding organizations. Recently, our organization also began working to build protective and promotive factors for young...
Building a Fort on a Solid Foundation
That fort became the quintessential metaphor for what we were going through as a family and possibly what our society was going through as a whole. The building of that fort is something I will never take for granted and never ever forget in reflecting on the true purpose that it actually served.
Shaping Colorado’s Early Childhood Landscape
Colorado is at a turning point. Due to the passage of House Bill 1304 Early Childhood System, the state is embarking on a journey to redesign how the state structures early childhood programming by creating a new state Department of Early Childhood, effective July 1,...
Kiowa County Becomes the First County to Reach Child Safety Tipping Point
Illuminate Colorado is excited to announce this week that Kiowa County is the first county in the state of Colorado to reach the tipping point to create a new standard of child safety in the community. In June of last year, llluminate launched the Tip Colorado...
Promoting Focused Eye-Hand Coordination
A picture is worth a thousand words! However, focused eye-hand coordination are the four words that come to my mind when I look at this photograph. This picture captures a baby focusing on the objects in front of her and then reaching out for them--a perfect example...
What good was his diagnosis anyway?
I finally realized my adult son was not going to be able to live independently when he couldn't hold down a job and had several arrests for theft. It was not fun going to court or visiting him in jail. I was seriously afraid he'd end up in prison. I regret waiting to...
Learning Through Imaginative Play: Following the Lead of the Child
“Hi Declan, how are you doing today?” Madison Clay, the Illuminating Child Care mobile classroom early childhood lead teacher, greets the almost three year old as he enters the classroom. He answers “I’m fine,” walks over to the shelf, and grabs the colorful 3D...
A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching Your Child Baby Sign Language
Have you found yourself unsure of what your baby wants or needs? Baby sign language can help you and your baby communicate before they start talking. What is Baby Sign Language? Baby sign language refers to the use of a limited vocabulary of modified gestures from...
Family Voice Makes a Difference Illuminating Systemic Change
Families are experts on their children and by extension the programs intended to support them in strengthening their families and addressing challenges. It is for this reason that Illuminate Colorado looks to parents and caregivers with lived experiences as the...
The Time is Now to Make Wise Investments on Local and State Levels
In the months and years ahead, Colorado state and local leaders have the opportunity to spend both American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and Opioid Settlement Funds. Being a local-control state is both a blessing and a curse in so many ways when it comes to investing in strengthening families.
Reflecting on Progress Toward Prevention During the 2021 Colorado Legislative Session
When families, organizations, communities and policy makers focus on building protective factors, we can effectively prevent child maltreatment and keep families strong during the pandemic and beyond. Last week, state legislators concluded the 2021 legislative...
New Federal Safety Standard for Infant Sleep Products Help Make Smart Choices to Keep Kids Safe
When you walk into any store to buy something for a new baby on the way, you assume that the products on the shelves are safe, but those who’ve spent some time learning about safe sleep recommendations and guidelines know that isn’t the case when it comes to infant sleep products.
Bills Supporting Child Sexual Abuse Prevention & Response Cross the Finish Line in Colorado
All children deserve the opportunity to live, learn, grow, and play in safety. Policies that support prevention strategies related to child sexual abuse are critical in order to support the health and safety of future generations. In 2020 alone, a year when reports of...
Additional Counties Needed to Expand Peer Support Groups for Families Impacted by Substance Use
In 2019, Colorado was awarded a Regional Partnership Grant by the Children’s Bureau aimed at improving the well-being, permanency and safety outcomes of children and the recovery outcomes for parents whose children are in or at risk of out-of-home placement associated...
Leveraging the American Rescue Plan Act to Invest in Colorado’s Future
Colorado has reached another milestone in building towards COVID-19 recovery for families. Building on the roughly $800 million of state stimulus funds already already invested in Colorado’s COVID recovery, last week Governor Jared Polis, legislative leadership,...
Removing Barriers to Public Opportunities
For all families and communities to thrive, state and local officials must utilize an inclusive approach to family economic security as we push toward a post-pandemic Colorado. Unfortunately, current state law requires verification of legal presence when determining...
Colorado Parent and 5280 Publishing Receives 2021 Illuminating Media Award
The way information is framed in the media, the stories journalists, editors and producers choose to tell and the selection of images that get paired with those stories play an extraordinary role in shaping the environments in which we all live and raise our children....
Early Childhood Council of the San Luis Valley Hiring Early Childhood Lead Teachers in Partnership With Illuminate Colorado
Early Childhood Council of the San Luis Valley is partnering with Illuminate Colorado to bring Illuminating Child Care to the San Luis Valley and is seeking two Early Childhood Lead Teachers for our mobile child care classroom serving infants and toddlers onsite where...
Tax Credits are Powerful Tools to Strengthen Families
Expanding the state Earned Income Tax Credit and funding the Colorado Child Tax Credit are proven ways to reduce poverty, strengthen families and create a more racially equitable tax code and child welfare system in Colorado.
Child Abuse Prevention Month Recap: Over 40,000 Pinwheels Distributed!
Leading into April, Illuminate Colorado called on Coloradans to claim their FREE pinwheels and plant them in their front yards and neighborhoods as part of a national movement to recognize the importance of community-based support for all children and families during...
Continuing the Conversation with Federal Policy Makers to Invest in Prevention
Our future workforce, innovators, leaders and community members can only reach their full potential through thoughtful development and investment in services and policies that strengthen families and protect children. Given the unprecedented challenges the pandemic...
Safe and Stable Housing Supports Family Well-Being
Safe and stable housing is essential for the health and well-being of everyone, especially for children and families. Colorado’s Child Fatality Prevention System 2020 Legislative Report specifically recommends the support of policies that expand access to quality,...
Illuminate Colorado Is Hiring Two New Associates
We are excited to announce that we are hiring two new associate positions! Communications and Education Associate (Position Filled) Under the guidance of the Communications Manager, this position will work with our entire organization and community members from all...
Safe Storage Means Safer Kids
Safe and proper storage of firearms can contribute to a safe home environment for all members of a family. The Colorado Child Fatality Prevention System specifically recommended in 2018 to raise awareness and provide education to child welfare providers and community...
Seeking Kappa Delta Alumna to Join Board of Directors
Are you passionate about strengthens families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment? Illuminate Colorado is growing our board of directors. We are seeking passionate, dedicated individuals representing multi-cultural perspectives and/or life experiences to join our Board of Directors.
Digital Advocacy Opportunity: Contact Congress Tomorrow
Tomorrow, April 21, 2021, is Prevent Child Abuse America’s second annual Digital Advocacy Day, and we need your help! Join advocates across the country at 12:00pm MT TOMORROW to contact your lawmakers and urge them to act now to reauthorize the bipartisan Child Abuse...
DIY Ways to Promote Prevention in Your Community
Who doesn't love a good do it yourself project for the whole family! It's the perfect way to keep our creative minds going. We created the Inspiration Center to showcase some simple DIY ways people all over Colorado are getting out into their neighborhoods and...
New Bill Aims to Address Racial Inequities in Maternal and Infant Outcomes
Simply put, children do well when their parents and caregivers do well, and ensuring pregnant and postpartum people have accessible and responsive maternal health care is crucial for family well-being. State Senator Janet Buckner and Representative Leslie Herod are...
Prioritizing Prevention in Colorado’s State Budget
Good news: Colorado is poised to prioritize prevention in our state budget. Released Monday, the budget package outlines how the Joint Budget Committee is proposing state resources be allocated for fiscal year 2021-2022, which begins July 1. The budget package was...
A New Community Is Building a Stronger Foundation for Illuminate Colorado
Every year, April arrives amid a flurry of action and awareness surrounding Child Abuse Prevention Month. And every year, April ends and the resounding echoes of awareness campaigns fade to a whisper. For thirty days, it’s so exciting to see all the awareness being...