Press Release

Michelle Barnes, executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, and Mary Alice Cohen, director of the Office of Early Childhood, released the following statement on Colorado Senate Bill 21-201.

CDHS's Office of Behavioral Health will receive more than $94 million in additional federal block grant funding to increase substance use and mental health services over the next four years as the state responds to higher demand brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) announced the creation of the Safe Child Care Task Force, its members and its first public meeting date.

CDHS is pleased to announce that Coloradans participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with children under the age of 6 will begin to receive food benefits through the P-EBT program starting in late July.

The Colorado Department of Human Services announced today that seven community sites across Colorado have been selected to provide services to fathers with funding support from a $7.5 million grant.

CDHS launched a statewide public service campaign to promote the availability of P-EBT benefits available to eligible children in Colorado who received free or reduced-price school meals at their schools during the 2020-21 academic school year. 

Today, CDHS recognized 10 counties for 2020 C-Stat Distinguished Performance. The outstanding performance efforts were tied to programs that help Coloradans, such as helping more local families move toward a stronger economic future.

The Colorado Department of Human Services, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Agriculture's Colorado Proud program, has released the Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program final report.

CDHS's Office of Early Childhood invites partners, early childhood professionals, parents and caregivers to engage in public comment on Colorado’s Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) State Plan. The purpose of the CCDF is to increase the availability, affordability and quality of child care services.

The Colorado Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted unanimously to advance a bill that would expand 2-1-1 Colorado’s services in partnership with Mile High United Way to assist unemployed Coloradans statewide in accessing or enrolling in their behavioral health benefits and connecting with resources.