Illuminate Colorado’s 2023 Policy Priorities
For Colorado to remain one of the healthiest economies in the country, we need to work together to build brighter childhoods.
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.
It’s essential for elected officials and policy makers to understand how to prevent child maltreatment and listen to parents in every community.
Illuminating Policy Prevents Child Maltreatment
Illuminate Colorado strengthens families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment. Protective factors are conditions or attributes in individuals, families, communities or the larger society that help people deal more effectively with stressful events and mitigate or eliminate risk in families and communities.
Parental Resilience
Social Connections
Concrete Supports in times of Need
Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development
Social & Emotional Competence of Children
2023 Colorado Legislative Progress Toward Prevention
This legislative session, Illuminate crafted a policy agenda highlighting policy priorities that build one or more protective factors known to prevent child maltreatment to ensure Colorado’s policies build brighter childhoods.
Primary Prevention
These strategies build protective factors in all families to prevent child maltreatment before it occurs–including addressing systemic barriers to building protective factors across the population.
Primary Prevention Policy Priority #1
Prioritize primary prevention in federal and state budgets by investing in proven services and professional education that support families and keep kids safe
Strengthen Colorado's prevention infrastructure
HB23-1235 Technical Modification To Department Of Early Childhood makes necessary technical changes to statute governing the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC). As a newer department, the CDEC sought modifications through this bill to establish consistency with federal statute and the practices of other departments, including adding department representation to the Colorado Child Abuse Prevention Board and Colorado Health Equity Commission.
Eliminate the use of corporal punishment in schools
HB23-1191 Prohibit Corporal Punishment Of Children bars an employee or volunteer of a licensed child care setting, public school, or group facility from using corporal punishment.
Promote access to high-quality preschool
HB23-1290 Proposition EE Funding Retention Rate Reduction refers a ballot issue to voters in November 2023 to choose whether to retain Prop EE funds for the Universal Preschool Program. Under TABOR, the state cannot retain tax revenue without voter approval that exceeds estimates originally provided to voters. This bill will enable voters to decide whether to retain approximately $22M in excess funds collected through nicotine taxes to fund the Universal Preschool Program.
Promote access to nurturing and safe child care
HB23-1091 Continuation Of Child Care Contribution Tax Credit reauthorizes the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit (CCTC) through 2027, enabling taxpayers who make a monetary contribution that promotes child care to receive a tax credit that amounts to 50% of their contribution. This bill continues the CCTC, which incentivizes individuals to prioritize child care in their individual giving.
Promote access to medical care and behavioral health service, including family planning
- SB23-002 Medicaid Reimbursement For Community Health Services requires the state to receive federal approval and engage in stakeholder processes to reimburse community health workers (CHW) through Medicaid. Through stakeholder engagement, the state must establish minimum training and skills requirements for CHWs who will receive Medicaid reimbursement for services under the federal waiver.
- SB23-288 Coverage For Doula Services requires the state to engage in stakeholder processes and initiate the federal process to reimburse doulas through Medicaid. This bill also establishes and funds the Doula Scholarship Program to grow the doula workforce and increase opportunities for low income Coloradans to pursue a career as a doula.
- HB23-1300 Continuous Eligibility Medical Coverage requires the state to complete the federal process to enable Colorado children to maintain continuous Medicaid and/or CHIP eligibility from ages 0-3 without annual redeterminations if initially eligible for Medicaid. In addition, this bill requires the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to complete a feasibility study, including gathering feedback from Medicaid recipients, to explore extending continuous eligibility to children 6 and under, adults receiving medical assistance or experiencing homelessness, and adults with an income below 33% of the federal poverty line.
- SB23-188 Protections For Accessing Reproductive Health Care establishes additional legal protections for patients, providers, and assisters of legally protected health services, including abortion care and gender-affirming care, by shielding people from criminal prosecution, response to subpoenas, investigations, and other out-of-state legal consequences for receiving, providing, or helping a person acquire these health services.
- SB23-189 Increasing Access To Reproductive Health Care strengthens requirements for health benefit plans to cover certain services, including HIV care and reproductive health services. This bill also expands the reproductive health-care program managed by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to convene a family planning access collaborative to provide strategy recommendations to the department to address service gaps and barriers experienced by Coloradans, including adolescents and those living in rural areas.
- SB23-190 Deceptive Trade Practice Pregnancy-related Service restricts a person from advertising that a person provides abortion services, emergency contraception, or referrals for abortion or emergency contraception when that person knowingly does not provide these services by making these actions a deceptive trade practice. This bill also makes providing abortion reversal medication unprofessional conduct for healthcare providers.
- SB23-214 Long Bill (Family Planning Program Funding) allotted a $1M increase to the state budget for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Family Planning Program. This funding will increase access to family planning and reproductive health services for children, families, and pregnant people, including Coloradans who, without the program, would face long waitlists due to a lack of providers in rural areas.
Promote access to evidence-based programs to prevent child sexual abuse
SB23-214 Long Bill (Continuous Allotment to Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training) restored an annual $150,000 in funding to the Colorado Child Abuse Prevention Trust Fund for the purpose of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training. This funding dedicates resources to training adults across the state to prevent and identify child sexual abuse.
To learn more and engage in advocacy that promotes primary prevention in federal and state budgets by investing in proven services and professional education that support families and keep kids safe, visit:
Primary Prevention Policy Priority #2
Strengthen Economic Supports to Families
Expand access to Quality, Affordable and Stable Housing
- HB23-1120 Eviction Protections For Residential Tenants requires residential landlords to engage in a mandatory mediation process before evicting a low income tenant who receives cash assistance, including people receiving SSDI and families participating in Colorado Works (TANF).
- HB23-1186 Remote Participation In Residential Evictions requires courts to offer parties in eviction proceedings, including tenants at risk of eviction, the option to attend court remotely or in-person.
Expand access to Tax Credits
- HB23-1006 Employer Notice Of Income Tax Credits requires employers to annually notify employees of the availability of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).
- HB23-1112 Earned Income And Child Tax Credits increases the amount families receive in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 20% of the federal credit to 38% in 2024 only. This bill also increases the amount families receive in the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and eliminates the phase-in barring families with an annual income under $25,000 from receiving the CTC. Under this bill, families with $0-35,000 adjusted gross income (AGI) will receive $1200 in the CTC, families with $35,001-$60,000 AGI will receive $600, and families with $60,001-85,000 AGI will receive $200. In addition, this bill requires the Colorado Department of Revenue to annually increase the CTC to reflect inflation.
To learn more and engage in advocacy that promotes economic supports for families, visit:
Primary Prevention Policy Priority #3
Implement Family Friendly Work Policies
Expand Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies
- SB23-046 Average Weekly Wage Paid Leave Benefits allows for recent wages from previous jobs to be included when calculating family and medical leave benefits, eliminating a previous limit on wages from previous jobs from being calculated to determine a person’s benefit amount.
- SB23-017 Additional Uses Paid Sick Leave expands circumstances in which an employee may use paid sick leave, including to take care of a family member (child) whose childcare or school is closed due to inclement weather or other reasons, and to attend a funeral and manage legal matters resulting from the death of a family member.
Expand access to Tax Credits
- HB23-1006 Employer Notice Of Income Tax Credits requires employers to annually notify employees of the availability of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).
- HB23-1112 Earned Income And Child Tax Credits increases the amount families receive in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 20% of the federal credit to 38% in 2024 only. This bill also increases the amount families receive in the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and eliminates the phase-in barring families with an annual income under $25,000 from receiving the CTC. Under this bill, families with $0-35,000 adjusted gross income (AGI) will receive $1200 in the CTC, families with $35,001-$60,000 AGI will receive $600, and families with $60,001-85,000 AGI will receive $200. In addition, this bill requires the Colorado Department of Revenue to annually increase the CTC to reflect inflation.
To learn more and engage in advocacy that promotes family friendly work policies, visit:
Secondary Prevention
These strategies build protective factors in families in high stress situations to prevent child maltreatment before it occurs–including addressing systemic barriers to strengthening families in high stress situations.
Secondary Prevention Policy Priority #1
Ensure and expand tailored, non-stigmatizing, and culturally responsive support for families where needed
Expand support for families impacted by behavioral health, including both parental and pediatric
- SB23-174 Access To Certain Behavioral Health Services initiates a stakeholder process and expands Medicaid coverage of certain behavioral health services, including therapy, case management, and prevention services, offered through the statewide managed care system and school health service providers for youth under the age of 21 without a behavioral health diagnosis.
- HB23-1187 Alternatives In Criminal Justice System And Pregnant Persons expands access to alternative sentencing options, including diversion, deferred judgment or sentence, stay of execution, and unaccompanied furlough, for pregnant and postpartum people. The bill also eliminates the requirement that a court admit in a criminal proceeding information that is reported by mandatory reporters related to a defendant’s substance use discovered in the course of medical care related to pregnancy.
- HB23-1249 Reduce Justice-involvement For Young Children increases funding for established county Collaborative Management Programs (CMPs) to serve children and families accessing CMP services, and provides funding to counties who wish to establish CMPs. Under this bill, CMPs will also be provided with additional assistance and support from the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), including an additional full-time CDHS position that provides training and technical assistance to CMPs regarding victims and children with sexually problematic behaviors. This bill also requires CDHS, CMPs, and district attorneys to collect data on children ages 10-12 who interact with both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Expand support for families impacted by intellectual and developmental disabilities, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
- HB23-1263 Translating Individualized Education Programs requires schools to translate a final Individual Education Program (IEP) document for a child with disabilities when a family speaks a primary language other than English.
Expand support for families impacted by intimate partner violence
HB23-1178 Court Personnel And Domestic Violence Awareness requires court personnel to engage in continuous professional development trainings regarding domestic violence and child abuse, including child sexual abuse. In cases of domestic violence or child abuse in which parental responsibilities are being assigned, this bill requires a court to consider admitting expert testimony and requires a person providing neutral expert testimony to have demonstrated expertise and experience serving victims of domestic violence or child abuse.
To learn more and engage in advocacy that promotes tailored, non-stigmatizing, and culturally responsive support for families where needed, visit:
Tertiary Prevention
These strategies build protective factors in families to prevent recurrence of child maltreatment–including addressing systemic barriers to healing & recovery.
Tertiary Prevention Policy Priority #1
Ensure Communities Identify and Support Children and Families When Abuse and Neglect has Occurred
Ensure equitable access to services to support healing and recovery
- HB23-1024 Relative And Kin Placement Of A Child strengthens opportunities for kin placement when a child is removed from home by instituting additional requirements in involving kin in care, such as notice requirements, appeals processes when a relative or kin is denied placement, and supports for placement with families when lack of resources is the sole concern in placement.
- HB23-1043 Emergency And Continued Placement With Relative Or Kin clarifies procedures for law enforcement and county human and social services departments when a child is in need of emergency and non-emergency continued placement, expanding opportunities for relative and kin placement.
- HB23-1199 Forensic Medical Evidence Process Improvements establishes a system for victims and survivors of sexual assault to track sexual assault forensic exam kits from the time a kit it is collected a hospital through its processing, holding, and disposal as evidence by law enforcement.
- SB23-211 Federal Indian Child Welfare Act Of 1978 institutes the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act, as currently enforced, and its related federal regulations into Colorado state law.
- Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee was approved, which is tasked with studying various topics, including prevention services, intervention services, system processes, social determinants of child welfare system involvement, and more. The committee will consist of 11 members of the legislature and may introduce 5 bills in the 2024 legislative session to address issues studied.
To learn more and engage in advocacy that ensures communities identify and support children and families when abuse and neglect has occurred, visit:
What’s Next?
Advocate for family strengthening and policies that build protective factors to prevent child maltreatment through policy implementation activities.
Provide support and expertise to the newly formed Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee. We at Illuminate Colorado were grateful to be included in the list of agencies that may provide assistance and information to the Committee and are excited to lend our expertise on the importance and power of prevention in improving outcomes for children and families.
Provide support and expertise to the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee, which is tasked with reviewing data and statistics and exploring opportunities for legislation that addresses substance use disorder in Colorado through prevention, treatment, and harm reduction. We at Illuminate Colorado aim to use this opportunity to highlight the unique needs of families impacted by substance use, such as the prevention and impacts of prenatal substance exposure including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Colorado.
Continue to identify family strengthening policy needs and challenges through the coalitions Illuminate convenes.
Advocate for federal legislation that promotes and invests in programs that strengthen families, including advocating for the reintroduction and advancement of the FASD Respect Act.
Advocate for ballot measures that strengthen families, including Proposition EE resulting from HB23-1290, which would retain funding for Universal Pre-K.
Advocate for legislation that did not pass this legislative session. Although several bills passed this legislative session that promote economic security, Illuminate was disheartened to see several important bills deprioritized, including SB23-027, HB23-1078, and HB23-1171. These bills, which did not pass this session, would have continued funding for food pantries, implemented a dependent allowance for people receiving unemployment insurance, and instituted stronger eviction prevention measures. In addition, the impact of alcohol use on children, families, and people experiencing addiction was also discussed this session. Unfortunately, SB23-171, a bill that would have required large entertainment and sporting venues to have a “substance free” seating area, did not pass. Illuminate will continue to advocate for these provisions through future sessions.
Continue to collaborate with our partners in prevention and the Colorado General Assembly to advocate for future state legislation that promotes Illuminate Colorado’s policy priorities and mission to strengthen families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment.
Questions?
Contact Lex Loutzenhiser, Policy Manager
