by Justine Von Arb | Jan 11, 2022
Illuminating Coalitions & Networks
We foster coalitions and networks to ensure continued progress on policy priorities, identify opportunities to protect existing policies that are serving families and enhance policy implementation and provide support for collaborative changes.
Meet our staff supporting this collaborative space.
Together with numerous Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign sponsors, we distributed 1,697,491 messages during the month of April 2022 to inspire a conversation to grow a better tomorrow for all children, together. Partnering with 54 organizations, we reached more than 76,139 Coloradans.
[decm_event_display event_order=”DESC” event_count=”3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/decm_event_display]
[decm_event_display show_past=”past_events” event_order=”DESC” event_count=”3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/decm_event_display]
by Sarah Packard | May 5, 2023 | CAPM | 0 Comments
Colorado saw lots of wins for children and families during Child Abuse Prevention Month, but the work isn’t over. Learn how you can help us strengthen families, organizations, and communities all year long…
by Sarah Packard | April 17, 2023 | CAPM, Fundraising | 0 Comments
On April 13th, the Illuminating Leadership Awards were held, celebrating the contributions of exceptional individuals, groups of individuals, and organizations who have furthered our collective mission to strengthen families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment.
by Sarah Packard | April 5, 2023 | CAPM | 0 Comments
On April 3rd, Illuminate Colorado spent the day at the Colorado State Capitol celebrating the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month– and we took photos!
by Illuminate Colorado | March 13, 2023 | CAPM | 0 Comments
Around the month of April, for more than ten years now, you may have seen gardens of pinwheels planted in the community, at school, day care or a local hospital or nonprofit organization, and wondered, why? It’s because planting pinwheels represents the bright childhoods we all want for children…
by Illuminate Colorado | May 18, 2022 | CAPM | 0 Comments
Child Abuse Prevention Month is an important time of year for so many organizations and individuals working tirelessly year-round to strengthen families and protect children. For the first time since 2019, people were able to come together in person to launch the...
by Illuminate Colorado | April 27, 2022 | Advocacy, CAPM | 0 Comments
Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) America’s Digital Advocacy Day is today, April 27th! YOU can participate by reaching out to your members of Congress and using your voice to urge them to support children and families across Colorado and nationwide.How can I get involved?...
by Alexa Chenoweth | April 22, 2022 | CAPM, Illuminating stories, Parenting Advice | 0 Comments
A big reason I’ve become so involved in my community and eager to support parents is because of my own personal story and experience receiving support. In October 2018 I experienced every parents worst nightmare: my three and a half year-old son passed away. After...
by Dave Ehlert | April 13, 2022 | CAPM, Circle of Parents, Illuminating stories, Parenting Advice | 0 Comments
I never thought I would ever become homeless until it happened. A number of events led me to a point in my life where I needed to find a temporary home so that I could start working to rebuild my life from the ground up and continue to support my basic needs and be...
by Makita Cotto | April 9, 2022 | CAPM, Illuminating stories, Parenting Advice, Staff Pick | 0 Comments
I am sitting here watching my son play with his friend thinking about all of the things that have blown up this week all while smiling for him. Let’s be honest, there are times when this parenting thing is just hard. Like when you get to the point where you are not...
by Katie Facchinello | April 5, 2022 | CAPM, Family Voice, Featured, Illuminating stories | 0 Comments
Nearly one hundred people gathered on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol to promote positive childhood experiences and listen to parents share their experiences in recognition of child abuse prevention month. The event is the first of many activities happening...
by Illuminate Colorado | Apr 9, 2021
Our Mission
The mission of the Colorado Infant Safe Sleep Partnership (ISSP) is to support families, providers, organizations and policymakers to increase infant safe sleep practices and address related barriers and disparities through education, practice change and systems improvement.
Who We Are
The Infant Safe Sleep Partnership members include public health and human services professionals, health care providers and community organization and nonprofit representatives.
Illuminate Colorado is able to support the work of the ISSP thanks to funding from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Our Values
The ISSP commits to cultivating practices and projects that are:
- Inclusive
- Equitable
- Collaborative
- Consensus-informed
- Evidence and research informed
- Culturally responsive
- Non-stigmatizing
- Respectful of families’ choices
Calendar
The Colorado Infant Safe Sleep Partnership (ISSP) meets virtually on a bimonthly basis. Visit the ISSP calendar or subscribe for meeting notifications.
The ISSP acknowledges that systemic disparities and inequities impact experiences and outcomes related to infant safe sleep practices.
We recognize that infant safe sleep practices are impacted by sleep and feeding culture and may be impacted by systemic factors such as economic security, physical and behavioral health access, transportation access, systemic/historical racism, housing and immigration status.
Thus, the work of the ISSP must be approached with cultural humility and responsiveness, anti-racism, and an understanding of the systemic disparities that impact safe sleep practices.
The ISSP is focused on working collaboratively with families, providers and other community stakeholders to address three priority areas.
h
The ISSP Strategic Plan provides more information on these priorities and the work beginning in 2021.
N
Develop culturally–responsive public awareness and educational campaigns collaboratively with families and community–based organizations.
N
Design and implement Quality Improvement initiatives based in hospitals and provider education opportunities simultaneously.
N
Work in constant partnership with community organizations to address systemic issues that may impact safe sleep practices including:
- economic security,
- physical and behavioral health access,
- transportation access,
- systemic/historical racism,
- housing and
- immigration status.
The ISSP is actively seeking participation from a wide variety of communities committed to increasing infant safe sleep practices and address related barriers and disparities.
Families and Caregivers
Rural and Frontier Communities
BIPOC Communities
Advocacy Organizations
Early Childhood Councils
Family Child Care Associations
Child Care Providers
Breastfeeding Experts & Groups
Community Advocacy Groups
Hospitals
Birthing Centers
Pediatricians
Nurses
including
Public Health Nurses
OB-GYNs
Doulas
Midwives including
Home Birth Midwives
[diec_event_carousel included_categories=”101″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/diec_event_carousel]
A
Illuminate Colorado Strategic Initiatives team provides backbone support for the Infant Safe Sleep Partnership.
After you sign up to become an active member, we will reach out with more information to get you everything you need to get involved.
by Illuminate Colorado | August 30, 2022 | Safe Sleep | 0 Comments
This article was published for Crib Conversations, a bimonthly digest of news, resources and updates about infant safe sleep.August is National Breastfeeding Month, which means that the end of August is a great time to think about how we can support new parents, help...
by Katie Facchinello | July 6, 2022 | General, Safe Sleep | 0 Comments
If you have a new baby in your life, or one on the way, you'll want to be aware of the new consumer safety regulations, research and safe sleep guidelines this summer. Here is a quick overview of all of the big news that you'll want to know about to reduce the risk of...
by Jillian Fabricius | October 1, 2021 | Advocacy, Safe Sleep | 0 Comments
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...
by Katie Facchinello | June 11, 2021 | Featured, General, Parenting Advice, Safe Sleep | 0 Comments
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.
by Anne Auld | October 21, 2020 | Featured, Parenting Advice, Safe Sleep, Staff Pick | 0 Comments
Few things are more exhausting than a new baby. Increased infant crying, perhaps a few older children to care for, and trying to get back to work after a few short weeks all result in very, very tired caregivers. October is Safe Sleep Awareness month. There has been a...
by Illuminate Colorado | October 5, 2020 | Communications, Safe Sleep | 0 Comments
To help raise awareness about safe infant sleep during Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month in October, we’re inviting you to participate in a fun and friendly photo activity called #SafeSleepSnap. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles—anyone can...
Help inspire Coloradans to grow a better tomorrow for all children, together.
Protective factors help people deal more effectively with stressful events and mitigate or eliminate risk in families and communities.
Illuminate Colorado is home to the Colorado Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, the nation’s oldest and largest organization committed to preventing child abuse and neglect before it happens.
by Illuminate Colorado | Feb 27, 2021
SuPPoRT Colorado envisions a Colorado that equitably serves all families through prevention and reduction of substance use during pregnancy and provides multigenerational support for families to thrive.
The priorities, strategies and activities of SuPPoRT Colorado are guided by family voice experiences and leadership. Strategic planning, activity engagement and impact are each data-informed.
SuPPoRT Colorado is convening, supporting and guiding the advancement of the following four priority areas.
=
Reduce stigma around accessing substance use disorder treatment and recovery supports for pregnant and parenting people.
SuPPoRT Colorado Work Groups
Learn more about the groups working to address this priority area.
Provider Education Work Group
The Provider Education Work Group is working to expand healthcare provider education resources related to substance use and pregnancy with an emphasis on family leadership and addressing implicit bias.
Family Advisory Board
The Family Advisory Board (FAB) is working to build capacity around storytelling to reduce stigma.
Learn more and Get Involved!
=
Ensure systems, and the people who work within them, develop policies and practices with families that support warm handoffs and standardize practices to address inequities.
SuPPoRT Colorado Work Groups
Learn more about the groups working to address this priority area.
CHoSEN Collaborative
The Colorado Hospital Substance Exposed Newborns Collaborative better known as the CHoSEN Collaborative is working to broaden the collaborative to include practice change opportunities related to all substances as well as to focus on additional recruitment.
Learn more at CHoSENCollaborative.org

Plans of Safe Care Work Group
The Plans of Safe Care Work Group is working to develop specific recommendations and best practices for implementation of Plans of Safe Care.
=
Build Colorado’s statewide capacity to align efforts, apply lessons from our data and recognize and respond to emerging needs
SuPPoRT Colorado Work Groups
Learn more about the groups working to address this priority area.
Steering Committee and Family Advisory Board
The Steering Committee and Family Advisory Board will co-author a set of recommendations for how opioid settlement funds could support priorities of the SuPPoRT Colorado work.
Policy Analysis Work Group
The Policy Analysis Work Group is working to develop policy guidance in response to emerging needs and best practices.
Data and Research Advisory Group
The Data and Research Advisory Group is working to build data and research capacity in the state through the Colorado Perinatal Substance Use Data Linkage Project and Qualitative Study and other emergent opportunities.
=
Build Colorado’s statewide capacity to identify Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and support impacted families.
SuPPoRT Colorado Work Groups
Learn more about the groups working to address this priority area.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Work Group
The FASD Work Group is working to implement the education recommendation from the Colorado 2020 FASD Report.
SuPPoRT Colorado has made significant progress over the past decade, advancing a variety of notable projects and initiatives.
SuPPoRT Colorado also has a long history of providing subject matter expertise translating best practice recommendations into critical statutory changes to improve the care of families impacted by prenatal substance exposure.
Developed the language for HB Bill 12-1100 and worked with partners and legislators to ensure its passage to protect drug screen and test results obtained through prenatal care from being used in criminal prosecution of a pregnant person.
Recommended the expansion of the criminal protection from HB12-1100 to also include conversations with behavioral health providers about substance use during pregnancy through HB 19-1193.
Drafted and convened a stakeholder process for components of SB 20-28 regarding updating child abuse and neglect definitions related to prenatal substance exposure to de-emphasize the focus on positive drug tests for controlled substances at time of birth and to increase consistency in holistic assessments of families.
h
Download the best practice recommendations!
h
Download the best practice guidelines!
Promote the best practice recommendations across your network!
Promote the best practice guidelines across your network!
The SuPPoRT Colorado Steering Committee is tasked with identifying and implementing strategies for reducing the number of families impacted by substance use during pregnancy and for improving outcomes for families across the lifespan.
A
In 2021-2022, SuPPoRT Colorado is convening, supporting and guiding work groups to advance the priority areas identified by the SuPPoRT Colorado Family Advisory Board and Steering Committee and informed by stakeholder input in 2020.
- Join a SuPPoRT Colorado Work Group
- Subscribe to Updates on this Important Work
A
Illuminate Colorado Strategic Initiatives team supports the SuPPoRT Colorado Steering Committee and Family Advisory Board, the CHoSEN Collaborative and the SuPPoRT Colorado Work Groups.
After you sign up to join a work group, we will reach out with more information to get you everything you need to get involved.
by Illuminate Colorado | Jan 29, 2021
Illuminating Coalitions & Networks
We foster coalitions and networks to ensure continued progress on policy priorities, identify opportunities to protect existing policies that are serving families and enhance policy implementation and provide support for collaborative changes.
A
Strengthening Families™ is a research-informed approach to increase family strengths, enhance child development and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. It is based on engaging families, programs and communities in building five key protective factors.
The effort to embed Strengthening Families™ in the work of child- and family serving agencies of all types has continued unabated in Colorado since 2007 through this learning community for professionals across sectors to stay on top of new research and best practices related to the protective factors.
Illuminate Colorado coordinates the Colorado Strengthening Families Network, hosting a quarterly online learning community for professionals across sectors to stay on top of new research and best practices related to the protective factors.
Join the network to get invites to meetings and connect with others to share your work and learn from communities all across Colorado.
Quarterly Meetings & Events
Filter by Category
Colorado Strengthening Families Network