Family Support Programs

Child First

Child First® is an evidence-based, two-generation, home-based mental health intervention that serves young children (prenatal through the age of 5) and their families, helping them heal from the damaging effects of stress and trauma. The approach builds strong, nurturing caregiver-child relationships, promotes adult capacity, and connects families with needed services to increase emotional health and learning success and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Each Family works alongside a two-person team within the home. The team consists of a mental health clinician with experience in early childhood development and advanced clinical training, and a family support partner who works with the entire family on sources of stress, connecting them to needed community resources. 

To make a referral, please complete our HIPPA compliant referral here.

Colorado Community Response

Colorado Community Response (CCR) is a voluntary program that provides prevention services to families who have been referred to the child welfare system, but ultimately are not required to engage in services.

CCR will help your family with goal setting, connect you to resources in your community, provide one-time financial assistance and financial coaching, and help you build family relationships.

Participation in CCR requires a referral from your county child welfare staff. A local CCR program provider will contact you with more information if you are referred for participation.

Colorado Fatherhood Program

The Colorado Fatherhood Program (CFP) serves fathers who are 18 and older, with children up to 24 years old. Through engaging workshops, program staff help fathers build healthy parent-child relationships, increase economic stability and build social connections.  Program recipients also receive assistance accessing housing, employment, and basic needs. Download the flyer to learn more about how CFP strengthens fathers and families and find a program near you. 

The Colorado Fatherhood Program is currently being offered at seven locations.  Click the links to learn more about a program in your area.

Programs are funded through a federal grant under the Administration of Children, Youth and Families and managed by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. 
 
“The work of the seven sites selected will support fathers in the vital role they play for children and families,” said Mary Alice Cohen, director of the former Office of Early Childhood. “We are very excited to see grantees make a positive impact in their communities.”    

Read more about the grant that funds these programs here. 

Also, Colorado has a fatherhood network referred to as the Colorado Fatherhood Initiative which works to build a robust continuum of supports that promote a father's role in the family, build accountability measures for fathers, and provides opportunities for mentorships that model responsible fathering. Learn more here.

Family Resource Centers

Family Resource Centers provide a safe, accessible place for your family to connect with comprehensive, coordinated services that help you strengthen your family and become more self-reliant.

Programs at each center are tailored to the culture, resources and needs of the community they serve, and focus on building on the strengths of each family and individual.

Find a program on the Family Support Programs Referral List.

Healthy Steps for Young Children

Healthy Steps is a free, voluntary program that helps you understand what to expect from your growing child. The program pairs a Healthy Steps Specialist with families with children ages birth to 3.

Specialists meet with you and your child in your pediatrician's office and at home for up to 3 years. The goal is to provide you with solutions for the challenges of raising a child.

To enroll in the program, your child's pediatrician must offer Healthy Steps. View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a provider in your community.

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a free, voluntary school readiness program that helps you prepare your 3- to 5-year-old children for success.
 
HIPPY is a peer-delivered program where trained home visitors provide weekly home visits, working with you one-on-one. The program also provides monthly group meetings, where you and your children can socialize and meet other families in your community, and a resource network to connect your family with resources that meet your specific needs.​

Families typically enroll in HIPPY for at least one school year. Many families continue enrollment for two or three school years. The program works toward two main goals to maximize your child’s chances of successful early school experiences:

  • To empower and train you as a parent to act as the primary educator of your children in the home.
  • To encourage your involvement in the school and community.

View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a HIPPY program in your community. 

Nurse Family Partnership

Nurse-Family Partnership is a free, voluntary program that pairs first-time low-income mothers with highly trained nurses.

Your nurse will visit you in your home or a place of your choosing from pregnancy until your baby turns 2 years old. Your nurse provides support and education, serving as a mentor to help you have a healthy pregnancy. They will coach you on child health and development, empowering you to set goals and encouraging financial stability for your family.

Nurse-Family Partnership is available in every county in Colorado.

View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a Nurse-Family Partnership program in your community.

Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development

Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development (NHSD) is a 2- to 3-hour introductory workshop developed to help you foster healthy, nurturing relationships that support the healthy growth and development of your children. The workshop addresses the following topics:

Normal sexual development in children Types of child sexual abuse

 

Visit Illuminate Colorado for more information and to complete the training.

  • The range of sexual behaviors
  • Facts and myths about abuse
  • Signs of sexual abuse
  • Answering children's questions
  • Responding to sexual behavior in children
Parents as Teachers

Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a free, voluntary parent education and family support program serving families like yours, from pregnancy until your child enters kindergarten.

PAT pairs trained Parent Educators with families to ensure school readiness and healthy child development. PAT delivers services once or twice per month in your home or a place of your choosing. Families typically enroll in PAT for at least one year. Many families continue enrollment for multiple years and some families are enrolled from pregnancy until kindergarten entry. Parent Educators focus on the following components:

  1. Empowering parents to become their child's first and most important teacher
  2. Partnering with parents to demonstrate activities parents can do with their child to optimize the child's brain development and health by combining nurturing parenting techniques with activities, stories, songs, and games
  3. Group meetings designed to relay important information and offer parents opportunities to interact and support one another
  4. Health and developmental screening
  5. Resource network to connect your family with resources that meet your specific needs

View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a PAT program in your community.

SafeCare® Colorado

SafeCare® Colorado is a free, voluntary parent support program for parents and caregivers with children ages five and under who need extra support to keep their families safe and healthy.

Parent support providers help you build on your existing skills in the areas of parent-child interactions, home safety and child health. SafeCare® typically takes 18-20 weekly sessions to complete (about 4-6 months) and each session lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. SafeCare® Colorado is delivered in the home or another convenient location by trained parent support providers.​

Stewards of Children

Stewards of Children is a 2-hour facilitator-led training program that is intended to prevent child sexual abuse.

The goal of the program is to provide you with solutions on how to implement effective prevention policies, recognize signs of sexual abuse in children, and react responsibly if abuse occurs.

You can expect to leave the training with an increased awareness of the prevalence of child sexual abuse, initiatives to facilitate positive change to current policies and procedures, and an individual commitment to creating a personal plan to successfully prevent potential child sexual abuse in the future.

Visit Illuminate Colorado for more information and to complete the training.