The Colorado General Assembly is reconvening on Tuesday, February 16th after a month-long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Advocacy work in a virtual environment will continue to require flexibility and adaptation, and Illuminate remains committed to ensuring our state’s policies build brighter childhoods.
Using a racial equity lens, the 2021 Illuminate Colorado Policy Agenda was crafted with a focus across all three levels of prevention to build research-based protective factors in families and to ensure appropriate system and community responses.
Review the 2021 Policy Agenda
Download the 2021 Illuminating Policy Agenda with key highlighting specific protective factors each policy builds in Colorado.
Read the high-level summary below:
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.
- Prioritize primary prevention in federal and state budgets; key focus areas include home visiting, family planning, family resource centers and adult education about child sexual abuse prevention.
- Strengthen economic supports to families; including access to quality, affordable and stable housing and child care across Colorado.
- Implement family friendly work policies; key focus areas include ensuring livable wages as well as the implementation of the statewide paid family and medical leave program.
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.
- Ensure and expand support for families impacted by substance use; such as equitable screening and connection to behavior health resources in prenatal and postpartum care.
- Ensure and expand support for families impacted by intimate partner violence; particularly supporting education and resources for professionals to identify and support children and families impacted by intimate partner violence.
Tertiary Prevention
These strategies build protective factors in families to prevent recurrence of child maltreatment–including addressing systemic barriers to healing & recovery
- Ensure communities identify and support children and families when abuse and neglect has occurred; focusing on creating equitable access to services to support healing and recovery.
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Register today for the 10th annual Speak Up for Kids Day (not) at the Capitol!
Illuminate encourages everyone to participate in Colorado’s Annual Speak up for Kids Day on Thursday, March 18, 2021 from 8:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m.
It is essential for elected officials and policy makers to understand how to prevent child maltreatment and listen to parents in every community.
This year’s event will be hosted virtually, yet still filled with tips and training on advocacy and lobbying skills, strategizing and role-playing for talking to lawmakers, opportunities to hear about key issues for kids and families, and more. Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Children’s Campaign and Clayton Early Learning are hosting the event.
Register at www.bit.ly/2021speakup and email advocacy@childrenscolorado.org with any questions.
