Press Release

The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) at the Colorado Department of Human Services recognizes April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

March 5, 2024: Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) has received a record number of applications this winter heating season. As of February, more than 112,000 Coloradans have applied for the program, a 4.4% increase over last season.

From February 2023 through January 2024, 50% of children and youth placed in foster care had their initial placement with kinship caregivers. This is the first time Colorado’s child welfare system has hit this milestone.

Feb. 1, 2024: After an extensive search, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) is pleased to announce the official appointment of Minna Castillo as the deputy executive director of Community Partnerships, effective immediately.

Jan. 31, 2024: CDHS is celebrating Feb. 1 as National Energy Assistance Day. All potentially eligible Coloradans are encouraged to apply for Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), a federally funded program that helps save eligible households money by paying a portion of winter home heating costs.

Jan. 8, 2024: The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has once again awarded the Colorado Department of Human Services’ Division of Child Welfare its prestigious Innovator Seal of Recognition, which recognizes the division’s leadership on LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Dec. 12, 2023: For the second straight year, Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is receiving a record number of applications to start the heating season as the cost of energy and other essentials continue to rise and many Coloradans struggle to pay their bills.

Nov. 27, 2023: The Colorado Department of Human Services is happy to announce that 987 Coloradans earned employment-training credentials during the 2023 fiscal year, aligning with Gov. Jared Polis’ overall objective to assist 62,000 residents in attaining quality credentials for workforce success.

Nov. 9, 2023: The Colorado Department of Human Services' Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Restoring Individuals Safely and Effectively (RISE) Program operated by Recovery Solutions.

Nov. 7, 2023: The Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health is opening a new 22-bed unit at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan to serve Coloradans in need of competency restoration treatment.