CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates),
CAFCA (Colorado Association of Family and Children’s Agencies) and Fostering Colorado
Monday, March 20, 2017
12:00PM – 1:15PM
Colorado State Capitol
200 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
New Room Location: Senate Committee Room 357
Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates (“CASA”) is a nationwide program with a network of 17 programs in Colorado. Its programs train volunteer advocates from the community to advocate for abused and neglected children in the court system following training. These volunteers are a trusted part of the child welfare system and work in concert with caseworkers, guardians ad litem, families and caregivers, and more to provide feedback and guidance to the courts. The 17 CASA programs served nearly 4,000 children with nearly 2,000 volunteers last year.
Colorado Association for Family and Children’s Agencies (“CAFCA”) is a broad based group of not-for-profit organizations uniting together to develop the best care possible for Colorado's children and their families. CAFCA was created in 1982 to advocate for child welfare services, working on policy issues with the state and local governments to strengthen the child welfare system. The Colorado Association of Family & Children's Agencies, Inc. provides research, education and training to agencies serving Colorado's vulnerable children.
Fostering Colorado (“FC”) is a statewide membership association of private child placement agencies licensed by the State of Colorado Department of Human Services (“CDHS”). FC was formed with the objective of developing and enhancing foster and adoptive care throughout the state of Colorado to benefit the children served by the agencies. With each program offered, FC aims to use collaboration and communication among the network of agencies to ensure that we are providing best practice and services. FC represents a common goal within each membership agency to provide each child in foster care the highest level of care.
•Fostering Colorado is currently comprised of 18 private child placement agencies throughout Colorado.
•The agencies serve children of all races and ethnicities from ages 0-21.
•At any given time, the agencies together serve almost 1,200 foster children per night and have in total about 500 foster homes.
•The network of agencies serves all counties in Colorado.
Lunch will be provided for the legislators.
Caucus attendees may bring lunch to eat outside of the committee room, but lunch may not be taken into SCR 357.
Speaker Overview:
Jenny Bender, Executive Director – CASA of the Pikes Peak Region
Jenny Bender is the Executive Director of CASA of the Pikes Peak Region. A mother of five, she adopted two children from foster care with the help of a CASA volunteer while growing her thriving CASA program. Jenny is the 2016 recipient of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption "Angels in Adoption" Award.
Dr. Skip Barber, Psy.D. Executive Director – Colorado Association of Family & Children’s Agency (CAFCA)
Dr. “Skip” Barber is the Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Family and Children’s Agency (CAFCA). He is a licensed Psychologist and his work history includes having been the Executive Director of the Denver Children’s Home; one of the Co-Founders and CEO of Colorado Care Management; and the chief psychologist on the Child and Adolescent Treatment Center at the Colorado State Hospital. He has been part of several of the major redesign efforts of the child welfare system in Colorado over the last several decades (appointed by previous Governors to be part of the Child Welfare Action Committee, the Task Force on Foster Care and Permanency, and the Interim Committee on School Safety). He currently serves on the Executive Child Welfare Advisory Committee, the Colorado Court Improvement Planning Committee and the Colorado System of Care Grant Advisory Committee.
Brian Brant, Vice President of Child and Family Services – Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains
Brian Brant is the Vice President of Child and Family Services at Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains. Since 1997 he has served the field of child welfare on the local, state, and national level, most recently having served as the Adolescent Services Administrator for the Colorado Department of Human Services. Brian is a recognized expert in services to transition age youth and was recently appointed by the Governor to the Board of Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program.
Presentation Materials:
Jenny Bender's CASA PowerPoint Presentation
"Out of Home Care: Status Update" Presentation
Actual Rates vs Base Anchor Rates Comparison Handout
CAFCA (Colorado Association of Family and Children’s Agencies) and Fostering Colorado
Monday, March 20, 2017
12:00PM – 1:15PM
Colorado State Capitol
200 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
New Room Location: Senate Committee Room 357
Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates (“CASA”) is a nationwide program with a network of 17 programs in Colorado. Its programs train volunteer advocates from the community to advocate for abused and neglected children in the court system following training. These volunteers are a trusted part of the child welfare system and work in concert with caseworkers, guardians ad litem, families and caregivers, and more to provide feedback and guidance to the courts. The 17 CASA programs served nearly 4,000 children with nearly 2,000 volunteers last year.
Colorado Association for Family and Children’s Agencies (“CAFCA”) is a broad based group of not-for-profit organizations uniting together to develop the best care possible for Colorado's children and their families. CAFCA was created in 1982 to advocate for child welfare services, working on policy issues with the state and local governments to strengthen the child welfare system. The Colorado Association of Family & Children's Agencies, Inc. provides research, education and training to agencies serving Colorado's vulnerable children.
Fostering Colorado (“FC”) is a statewide membership association of private child placement agencies licensed by the State of Colorado Department of Human Services (“CDHS”). FC was formed with the objective of developing and enhancing foster and adoptive care throughout the state of Colorado to benefit the children served by the agencies. With each program offered, FC aims to use collaboration and communication among the network of agencies to ensure that we are providing best practice and services. FC represents a common goal within each membership agency to provide each child in foster care the highest level of care.
•Fostering Colorado is currently comprised of 18 private child placement agencies throughout Colorado.
•The agencies serve children of all races and ethnicities from ages 0-21.
•At any given time, the agencies together serve almost 1,200 foster children per night and have in total about 500 foster homes.
•The network of agencies serves all counties in Colorado.
Lunch will be provided for the legislators.
Caucus attendees may bring lunch to eat outside of the committee room, but lunch may not be taken into SCR 357.
Speaker Overview:
Jenny Bender, Executive Director – CASA of the Pikes Peak Region
Jenny Bender is the Executive Director of CASA of the Pikes Peak Region. A mother of five, she adopted two children from foster care with the help of a CASA volunteer while growing her thriving CASA program. Jenny is the 2016 recipient of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption "Angels in Adoption" Award.
Dr. Skip Barber, Psy.D. Executive Director – Colorado Association of Family & Children’s Agency (CAFCA)
Dr. “Skip” Barber is the Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Family and Children’s Agency (CAFCA). He is a licensed Psychologist and his work history includes having been the Executive Director of the Denver Children’s Home; one of the Co-Founders and CEO of Colorado Care Management; and the chief psychologist on the Child and Adolescent Treatment Center at the Colorado State Hospital. He has been part of several of the major redesign efforts of the child welfare system in Colorado over the last several decades (appointed by previous Governors to be part of the Child Welfare Action Committee, the Task Force on Foster Care and Permanency, and the Interim Committee on School Safety). He currently serves on the Executive Child Welfare Advisory Committee, the Colorado Court Improvement Planning Committee and the Colorado System of Care Grant Advisory Committee.
Brian Brant, Vice President of Child and Family Services – Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains
Brian Brant is the Vice President of Child and Family Services at Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains. Since 1997 he has served the field of child welfare on the local, state, and national level, most recently having served as the Adolescent Services Administrator for the Colorado Department of Human Services. Brian is a recognized expert in services to transition age youth and was recently appointed by the Governor to the Board of Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program.
Presentation Materials:
Jenny Bender's CASA PowerPoint Presentation
"Out of Home Care: Status Update" Presentation
Actual Rates vs Base Anchor Rates Comparison Handout