Colorado Selected for Innovative BEST Youth Initiative
Colorado is proud to announce its selection for the Building Ecosystems Statewide for Thriving (BEST) Youth Initiative, a groundbreaking three-year program led by the Forum for Youth Investment. This innovative three-year program, led by the Forum for Youth Investment, is designed to improve outcomes for youth ages 5-24 through collaborative, cross-system approaches. Being a part of this initiative will enable Colorado to better align state systems to more equitably meet the needs of youth and their families.
Colorado was chosen for its:
1. Commitment to improving youth outcomes by organizing our state systems more effectively.
2. Readiness to work across systems to shift from addressing issues after they happen to solving them before they start.
3. Dedication to listening to a variety of people, especially those who have direct experience with state systems.
The state team includes the Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Education, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Colorado Department of Law, and several community-based partners. To ensure diverse perspectives, the team also features four people with lived experiences: three youth and one adult.
“We’re thrilled to launch the BEST Youth Initiative this summer with a national convening,” said Mishaela Durán, Forum CEO. “Through the BEST Youth Initiative, we’re empowering states to create interconnected systems that truly serve all youth. This collaborative effort marks a significant step towards reimagining how we support young people nationwide.”
The BEST Youth Initiative will unfold in three stages:
1. Discovery: Landscape analysis
2. Co-Design: Strategic planning
3. Co-Create: Implementation support
Throughout the initiative, Colorado will participate in a peer learning community with otherselected states, sharing knowledge through collaborative inquiry and reflection. Our goal is to create an enabling environment that fosters ongoing innovation to improve life outcomes for youth, with cross-system reforms guided by insights from those with lived experience.
“We are excited for this opportunity to collaborate across state agencies and share best practices with other selected states in order to create a more effective, nimble youth-servicing ecosystem,” said Dr. Meghan Stidd, director of Community Programs at the Colorado Department of Human Services and the Colorado BEST Team Lead. “We are looking forward to partnering with people with lived experience, community-based organizations, and the Forum for Youth Investment to more comprehensively and equitably meet the needs of youth and their families.”
To learn more about the national BEST Youth Initiative, visit Forum FYI’s website.
The Division of Community Programs (DCP) works to create and elevate a community of practice around the work of the community-facing units within the Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF). These units include the Colorado Sexual Health Initiative, Domestic Violence Program, Juvenile Parole Board, Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program and Collaborative Management Program.
