Reimagining Colorado’s Child Welfare System
We’re working to transform Colorado’s child welfare system into a system that families trust—one that supports and uplifts families rather than causing harm or separating them.
This change starts with you!
Fill out this form and join us by in shaping new initiatives that strengthen families and keep children safe at home.
Your voice can help create a system that serves everyone—especially those who need it the most.
What We Do
We create actionable solutions by listening to and learning from those who are directly impacted by the child welfare system. Our work is shaped by the voices of:
- People with lived experience—those who have been involved in the system and are committed to collaborating for positive change.
- Child welfare professionals—individuals who have dedicated their careers to helping children, youth, and families thrive.
- Lawmakers—leaders who craft and pass policies that ensure families receive the support they need.
- Organizations serving children, youth, and families—community partners who provide essential services and resources.
- Community members and advocates—individuals who stand alongside families to provide support and drive change.
By centering these voices, we ensure that our solutions are rooted in real experiences and that they truly serve those who need them most.
Why We Do It
We believe that families are strongest when they stay together. However, certain challenges can put families under stress and even threaten family unity. We want to reshape the child welfare system so it supports families rather than punishing them.
Our goal is to reshape the system into one that helps families overcome challenges, access resources, build community and a future of success together. To do this, we need to create:
- Services that provide immediate, practical support.
- Initiatives that focus on family preservation and well-being.
- Laws that prioritize family unity and provide protections.
- Projects that bring together community-driven solutions for real, lasting change.
By changing the system in these ways, we can ensure families thrive—together.
What are our actions?
We are deeply committed to improving Colorado’s child welfare system. To make meaningful change, we are taking the following actions:
- Hold a statewide in-person convening to bring together diverse voices and foster collaboration.
- Establish priority areas that focus on the most urgent needs within the child welfare system.
- Dedicate resources to compensating lived experts and ensuring diverse perspectives are at the table, especially those with direct experience in the system.
- Partner with Foster America to hire a dedicated director who will lead this work and help guide systemic change.
- Meet with counties to discuss and implement innovative prototypes that can be tested and refined for broader impact.
- Create subcommittees to ensure that stakeholders from all corners of Colorado are included in the decision-making process.
These actions are just the beginning of a broader effort to build a more inclusive, compassionate, and effective child welfare system.
Meet us
We are a diverse group of more than fifteen passionate individuals, united by one shared goal: Reimagining the Child Welfare System.
Each of us brings a unique perspective, expertise, and experience to this work, and together we are committed to creating a system that serves families, not separates them.
Get to know us better—click below to read our bios and learn how we’re working toward change.
“Children are innocent and are entitled to opportunity in life. I survived a traumatic system, and have turned my pain into passion, advocating for parents and kids, to keep them together.”
-Nate Bustamante
Learn about our experiences
Become part of the change!
Are you ready to be part of the movement to reimagine and reshape Colorado’s child welfare system? Join the Reimagining Child Welfare Steering Committee and help us create a system that truly supports families.
By joining, you’ll work alongside a diverse group of dedicated individuals committed to making a meaningful impact. Your voice and experience matter in this process, and together, we can drive the change we need to see.
Fill out the Reimagining Colorado Child Welfare Steering Committee Interest Form to get started.
If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to contact Joe Homlar at joseph.homlar@state.co.us.