The West Steps

Latest Episodes:

How will we cover all Coloradans in 2022? Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

Without health insurance, families are one medical emergency away from financial ruin. Therefore, the security and care that health insurance provides is immeasurable. Unfortunately, many Coloradans still do not have access to these services. This lack of health coverage can lead to detrimental outcomes, especially for people of color and people without certain documentation, who often face greater barriers to access due to systemic exclusion from the health care system. Having health insurance creates a ripple effect within families, allowing all to achieve better health outcomes. For these reasons and so many more, we must work to create holistic, integrated, and equitable policy solutions – because all Coloradans are worthy of care and coverage.

Welcome to another episode of The West Steps! This week, we expand on a critical conversation we’ve returned to throughout the podcast’s four seasons. We are joined by Erin Miller, Vice President of Health Initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign; Shaunti Meyer, midwife and Senior Medical Director at Stride Medical Center; An Nguyen, Chief Dental Officer at Clinica Family Health; and Wendolyne Omaña, co-founder of Construyendo. Our guests highlight the importance of health insurance and preventative care, especially amongst pregnant people. They detail the need to make patients – especially people without documentation- feel safe and worthy of health care services. We also get a first glimpse at Cover all Coloradans, a bill being introduced this session which aims to provide health insurance to all undocumented pregnant people and kids under 19. To learn more about how this bill would provide more Coloradans with the physical, emotional, and oral health care they need and deserve, visit coverallcoloradans.org.

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How Colorado hopes to combat food insecurity among students Feb 04, 2022

Show notes

Hunger has always been an issue in our state. Over the course of the pandemic, food insecurity amongst Colorado kids increased from 1 in 6 children to 1 in 3. Along with that, many families often were not filling out free or reduced-price lunch applications, making it difficult for schools and programs to identify kids in need of food. This resulted in inaccurate data capturing the number of “at-risk” students in schools – preventing schools from getting the funds needed to provide for kids experiencing economic disadvantages. Working to solve food insecurity calls for a multi-pronged approach – one that more effectively identifies students in households with low incomes, provides high-quality meals, and adequately funds schools so that all students get the food they need to be healthy.

Our latest episode of The West Steps brings together two deeply interwoven topics that, when fully understood, could lead to transformative solutions for student poverty. Stephanie Perez-Carrillo, Colorado Children's Campaign alum; and Leslie Colwell, Vice President for Education Initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign, discuss the pressing issue of food insecurity in our state, and how a holistic method of measuring student poverty could ensure kids get the nourishing school meals they need to thrive. Food insecurity amongst students was only exacerbated by the pandemic. Districts’ inability to accurately measure “at-risk” students and receive adequate funding to support them calls for a reimagined system of identifying students experiencing economic disadvantage. The “at risk” formula is not the only issue area advocates are hoping to change. This legislative session, SB22-087 aims to create the Healthy School Meals for All program, which would provide free school meals to all Colorado students in participating districts.

To learn more about SB22-087 and find ways to engage, subscribe to our weekly KidsFlash newsletter.

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Educator Tax Credit Explained Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

Colorado is currently facing an early childhood worker shortage. The increased demand for educators, issues with workforce retention, and the compounding effects of the pandemic have only exacerbated the sector’s high turnover rate. House Bill 22-1010, the Early Childhood Educator Income Tax Credit, hopes to change this. If passed, this bipartisan bill would establish a fully refundable tax credit that would place money directly in the pockets of early childhood educators. The challenges occurring in the child care sector not only impact the early childhood workforce, but the Colorado families dependent on their support as well. Therefore, it is essential that our legislature develop equitable solutions to improve the lives of those who work to provide high-quality care to our youngest Coloradans.

The West Steps returns this week with an episode focused on the issues faced by the early childhood educator workforce. We are joined by Bill Jaeger, Vice President for Early Childhood and Policy Initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign; and Elisha Stewart, Supervisor for the Inclusive Early Educator Program at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Bill and Alicia share their insight on the current state of our child care workforce, and how HB 22-1010 hopes to change it. They also delve into the impacts that similar legislation has had in other states. While HB22-1010 won’t entirely resolve the challenges faced by early childhood educators, providing the workforce with the foundational income they need to feel more supported is one step toward improving the child care landscape in Colorado for all of those who depend on it.

The first House Committee on Education hearing for HB22-1010 takes place Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. We encourage you to contact your legislator and advocate for the passage of this bill. You can stay updated on HB 22-1010's journey through the legislature by subscribing to KidsFlash and viewing our weekly Capitol Updates.

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How will we improve maternal health data collection in 2022? Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

Accurate, reliable data allow us to fully understand the health of perinatal people and their babies. Especially with the pandemic’s impact on maternal health, data are critical in providing a robust understanding of the support needed by birthing persons. Unfortunately, the current patchwork system of funding data collection is jeopardizing our understanding of maternal health outcomes in our state. More than ever before, we need these data to inform our policy solutions, work toward more equitable maternal health outcomes, and ultimately create a state where all birthing persons and their children have the resources they need to thrive.

Today’s episode of The West Steps features a first-ever conversation on maternal health data collection in Colorado. We are joined by Sarah Hughes, Vice President for Research Initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign; Susan Hwang, neonatologist and health services researcher at Children’s Hospital Colorado; and Erin Miller, Vice President of Health Initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign. The discussion opens up with the importance of collecting data about birthing people and children, as well as the primary means for data collection in our state. By establishing a well-funded, robust data surveillance system, we can better measure systems change in the maternal health landscape. Though our state and nation face a maternal mortality crisis, we are hopeful that we can make strides in changing that during the 2022 legislative session. Cover All Coloradans – a recently introduced bill – not only aims to provide better health care to individuals across the state, it also includes a more reliable funding stream for one of the state’s best programs for collecting maternal health data— the Health eMoms survey.

If you are interested in participating in advocacy efforts for Cover All Coloradans, or want to learn more about the bill, contact Erin Miller at erin@coloradokids.org. Look for more updates on Cover All Coloradans in our weekly KidsFlash newsletter. Subscribe today!

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Colorado legislatures are back in session and so are we with season four of The West Steps Jan 14, 2022

Show notes

The Colorado General Assembly is back, which means it’s time to kick off season four of The West Steps. Episode 1 welcomes our Government Affairs Director, Riley Kitts, for an exciting conversation on what we can expect in the 2022 legislative session.

A lot has happened since last session ended in June 2021. Interim committees and task forces convened on issues ranging from behavioral health to early childhood, developing recommendations to ensure legislators are prepared for the 2022 session. In today’s conversation, Riley dives into the Children’s Campaign’s policy priorities, many of which have been refined throughout the interim process. Coloradans should look forward to new legislation impacting the state’s housing and economic crisis, the new Department of Early Childhood, and improved health care access for all. Most importantly, though, we hope to strive toward making our systems work as best as they can for kids and families.

Throughout the 2022 legislative session, the Colorado Children’s Campaign hopes to serve as a resource for all members of our community. There is no better time to get involved in our state government and push our legislators to prioritize families in Colorado. Follow us on social media (@ColoradoKidsOrg), subscribe to our weekly newsletter, and look out for new episodes of The West Steps to stay informed on child well-being news in the months ahead. Looking for more ways to engage at the capitol? Contact Riley Kitts at riley@coloradokids.org for more information.

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EP 5 : Conversations on early care and education in Colorado Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are developed to ensure children with identified disabilities receive the necessary resources and support they need to thrive in the classroom. As the transition to the new Department of Early Childhood continues, a subgroup has been devoted to developing recommendations for the administration of special education services within the new state agency. No child is the same, which is why we need an early childhood system that ensures kids with special education needs have access to the high-quality instruction and care they need to reach their fullest potential.

Welcome to another episode of our early childhood miniseries, where we will continue to explore the multifaceted ways families find care for their kids in a system that has made it difficult for far too long. In this episode, we are joined by Rachel Schiff and Corinne DePersis, two parents who have children with IEPs. Rachel and Corinne bring their lived experience to our discussion to share how early childhood leaders should approach the development of the new state department for children with IEPs. Throughout the episode, both Rachel and Corinne articulate the need to create a system that meets children and families where they are, and gives them sufficient options for finding early childhood services. They also emphasize how important it is that educators, caregivers, and program directors have the necessary training to support students with IEPs. By ensuring this is a priority in the future, we can take full advantage of the opportunity our state has been given to create a more inclusive childcare system that benefits all children.

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EP 4 : Conversations on early care and education in Colorado Dec 02, 2021

Show notes

In traditional early care settings, the focus is primarily on educating the child. However, from what we know about our education system, the involvement of parents and caregivers in a child’s earliest years of education is essential to their success. Home visiting programs work to create this reality, especially for immigrant and refugee families who face numerous barriers to accessing high-quality care for their young children. Home visiting programs allow for the whole family, whole child approach to early childhood that House Bill 1304 intended to establish, and including home visiting as a part of universal preschool is essential for equipping parents with the skills they need to best support their children in their education.

Episode 3 of our miniseries on the new Department of Early Childhood features a topic never before discussed on The West Steps: home visiting. We are joined by Melanie Collier, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Coordinator at the Spring Institute; and Katira Egal, a home visitor at the Spring Institute. Melanie and Katira open the episode with an informative overview of the differences between home visiting and other child care settings. They also describe their involvement in the transition to the new Department of Early Childhood, as well as their concerns and hopes for the future of child care in our state. As families from all over the world continue to make Colorado their home, it is critical that we provide their children with opportunities to gain the skill set they need to enter kindergarten fully prepared.

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EP 3: Conversations on early care and education in Colorado Dec 01, 2021

Show notes

When people picture child care providers, many envision licensed professionals in settings outside the home. However, this is not always the case. Family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) providers may be viewed as informal caregivers, but they offer invaluable services to children across our state. By offering trusted, culturally competent, and often more inexpensive care to the families they serve, FFNs have played a major part in allowing families to stay afloat during the pandemic. For these reasons and more, it is critical the new Department of Early Childhood work to uplift the voices of FFNs in the transition process, and recognize them as invaluable contributors to the early care and education system.

We continue our Department of Early Childhood miniseries with a discussion on FFNs and the important role they play in caring for our youngest Coloradans. Katie Lingenheisen, a member of the Rocky Mountain Preschool Coalition; and Cesiah Weidmann, FFN provider, offer their insight toward this commonly misunderstood component of our child care system. Katie and Cesiah discuss the importance of FFNs, how they have been impacted by the pandemic and the ways that FFNS are often left out of discussions in the child care sector. As the cost and availability of child care continue to burden families, FFNs have helped fill the gaps and ultimately allowed our economy to keep moving. Their work is essential, and it is time the early childhood system recognize it as such.

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EP 2: Conversations on early care and education in Colorado Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

For parents of young children across Colorado, navigating the early childhood system is nothing short of exhausting. The fragmented programs that are often controlled by money and politics have repeatedly belittled the voices of concerned parents and providers for decades – perpetuating a system that fails kids in their most critical years of life. As the transition to the new state Department of Early Childhood continues, it is crucial that those involved in the implementation and planning process elevate community voice- especially the voice of parents and caregivers. In doing so, we can ensure the new state department lifts early childhood to the importance it deserves, fully allowing kids the chance to thrive.

Welcome back to our miniseries highlighting the transition to the new Department of Early Childhood. In episode 2, we are joined by Melissa Mares, Early Childhood Policy Fellow at the Colorado Children’s Campaign, and Janelle Jenkins, Parent Ambassador at Clayton Early Learning Center. Both Melissa and Janelle share their concerns, hopes, and personal experiences with the early care and education system in Colorado- providing first-hand insight toward their involvement in the transition process. As passionate advocates, Melissa and Janelle emphasize the need to transition to an early childhood system that prioritizes dignity, respect, and cares for parents and providers. By putting them first, we can ensure they are fully prepared to care for our kids in the best way possible.

As the transition to the new Department of Early Childhood continues, the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) continues to host engagement opportunities that uplift community voices. Click here to learn more about how you can stay plugged into this exciting work.

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EP 1: Conversations on early care and education in Colorado Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

The passage of Proposition EE in November 2020 provided a huge increase in the number of children able to access preschool in 2023 when it goes into effect. As with any issue like this, universal preschool cannot be implemented overnight, and stakeholders across the state immediately got to work to determine how to ensure our system will be ready for this change. It also pushed our state to think bigger about the many programs and services that exist outside of preschool, but heavily impact children, birth through five.

The passage of House Bill 1304 earlier this year created a historic opportunity for our state to make programs and services that support children and families more aligned, removing barriers for families and early childhood professionals of all kinds. With the new department transition process underway, it is critical that the experiences and perspectives of parents and providers are amplified to effectively create a system that serves our youngest Coloradans in the best way possible.

Welcome back to The West Steps for the first episode of a mini-series highlighting Colorado's new Department of Early Childhood. We are joined by Diana Herrera, Director of Education and Special Education at Bal Swan Children’s Center; and Dawn Alexander, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado. Both Diana and Dawn share their roles in the new department transition process and discuss some of the issues that have arisen as advisory groups and subcommittees work to establish an early childhood system that creates the best outcomes for young children. With the new department, Colorado has a chance to set a national trend for early childhood, and we are looking forward to exploring the possibilities and milestones that take place along the way. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more episodes highlighting this exciting process. To learn more about the new Department of Early Childhood, click here.

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