CHSDA

Colorado Human Services Directors Association

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion

CHSDA

  • CHSDA Assessment for County Directors on Advancing Race Equity: CHSDA partnered with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) in 2021 to create this assessment, in order to assist counties in getting a benchmark on their organization’s current state of race equity work across six focus areas: 1) Organizational Area, 2) Organizational Culture, 3) Learning Environment, 4) Executive Team & Elected Officials, 5) Community Involvement, and 6) Data. This tool can be used in an iterative and ongoing way.
  • CHSDA Equity-focused Sessions @ CCI Conferences:
    • December 2022, Winter Conference: Authentic Community Co-design within Human Service Programs; Speakers: Sonya Soni from Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research and Madel Leal from Foster America. Materials: Presentation: Recording; Authentic Community Codesign: Slide Deck; Other relevant reads: Photovoice project by systems-impacted youth in South LA; Juvenile Law Center’s Digital Youth Advocacy Toolkit (Dec 2022; Deepening Constituent Engagement: Engaging People with Lived Experience in System Change Work–Foster Club; ACF Brief: Gathering & Using Family Input to Improve Child Support & TANF.
    • June 2022, Summer Conference: Advancing Race Equity This session built off responses from early 2022 to CHSDA’s Assessment for County Directors on Advancing Race Equity by supporting Directors to identify and implement practical action steps in their counties. Staff from the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) incorporates the human services value curve lens when presenting a toolkit for leaders to advance Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives. Supporting Documents: 1) Advancing EDI Work in Colorado_CCI Conference Presentation, 2) CHSDA’s EDI Resource Webpage; 3) APHSA’s toolkit on the Human Services Value Curve, 4) CHSDA’s Strategic Plan
    • November 2021, Winter Conference: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Approaches within counties, programs, and CHSDA. Panelists discussed various Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts happening at the county level (Eagle County, Adams County, Denver County), in the Adult and Aging practices, and through a partnership among CHSDA, Casey Family Programs, and the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). The recording and presentation materials are available on CHSDA’s conference webpage.
    • September 2020, Fall Conference Session: Deconstructing Equity Workshop led by Dr. Nita Mosby-Tyler, The Equity Project, LLC:  This workshop takes participants on a journey of “deconstructing” the real meaning of equity, inclusivity and diversity. Participants will learn fascinating facts and insights that help us shift from learning and exploring to doing. The keynote is designed to inspire, intrigue and energize us during a complex time in history. We will explore everything from definitions, history, power bases, imposter syndrome and even address “diversity fatigue” – a thing that we all have at some point or another. The recording and presentation materials are available on CHSDA’s conference archive webpage.
  • CHSDA Child Welfare Leadership Retreat to Advance Race Equity, October 2022: We had over 35 county leaders join us for our first ever Child Welfare Leadership Retreat to Advance Race Equity in Frisco, CO. All of the powerpoint slides and materials are available to all CHSDA members (these have also been added to a virtual binder for all counties to access). A link to the map we created with efforts happening across the counties is also available here. CHSDA is planning for an upcoming association vote on adopting the shared values and a collective vision statement in 2023. We also plan to bring in state agency partners in the next phase of the work.

 

  • CHSDA Vision Statement to Advance Race Equity in Child Welfare (desired future state): Colorado families have equal opportunity to access services, resources, and supports to ensure they are thriving and safe within their communities. A family’s cultural beliefs, traditions, or customs are strengths. The child welfare system will support those families in need of child welfare intervention. Race, ethnicity, and poverty have no adverse impact on any family becoming engaged with, nor their experience within, the child welfare system.

 

  • CHSDA Values to Advance Race Equity in Child Welfare:
    • Courage: We acknowledge the high-stakes/high-impact nature of our work with families. We have the courage to name and address inequities, shift the power balance, and drive system-wide change.
    • Relationships: We prioritize people and connections. We lead with grace, vulnerability, acceptance, openness and kindness. We choose to be person-centered and family-focused.
    • Commitment: We commit to bringing hope, meaning and purpose in working with families and communities.
    • Inclusion: We strive to cultivate belonging, growth, and opportunities for meaningful engagement that reflect the diversity of our communities. We commit to intentional engagement that honors the dignity of families and communities.
    • Service: We believe families deserve the least intrusive interventions. We commit to intentional, kind, quality support delivered with consistency and respect.
    • Accountability: We value integrity, shared responsibility and accountability for achieving equitable impact for communities most harmed by Child Welfare system involvement.  We believe in truth-telling, reconciliation, and repairing trust.
    • Resources: We believe, collectively, there should be enough opportunity, resources, knowledge, and support for all families as we work together to shift power and resources across all communities to achieve system-wide change.
    • Families: We value the experience and perspectives of families and communities. We acknowledge the profound impact that involvement in the system has on individuals, families, and communities.

 

Language Access Resources

2024

Larimer County

  • Language Access Policy March 2024
  • List of Contract Vendors
    • Cesco- we only use for in-person interpretation (spoken or sign language)
    • Propio- we use for phone, video, or written interpretation/ translation
    • Language Link-  we use for phone, video, or written interpretation/ translation

Boulder County

 

CHSDA Session 2024 Summer Conference Session: Language Access in Human Services Program Delivery, Gore Ballroom

 

Introduction to ASL Course for Professionals Working with the Deaf – Front Range Community College

This summer, we are launching an introductory ASL course for professionals working with the Deaf.

This course is designed specifically for professionals working with the Deaf. Through engaging lectures, interactive activities, and practical exercises, participants will develop essential communication skills in ASL. Gain confidence in effectively communicating with Deaf clients, students, or patients in various settings, including educational, healthcare, and social services environments.

Led by experienced instructors, this course provides a solid foundation in ASL, empowering participants to foster meaningful connections and enhance inclusivity within the deaf community.

This is a synchronous remote class to be held via Zoom on Tuesdays, June 4th through August 6th from 9am to 11am. We will be issuing 2 CEUs for this course. More information can be found here: https://frontrange.edu/programs-courses/continuing-education/languages-classes.html

Katie Schwind

she/her/hers

Director, Professional & Continuing Education

Workforce Development

303-404-5343 | katie.schwind@frontrange.edu

frontrange.edu

 

Colorado Resources

  • CDPHE Community Engagement Toolkit (March 2022): This toolkit was created for department leaders and includes 3 main sections: 1) Defining Community: A Primer for Integration & Implementation, 2) Budgeting Guidelines for Language Services, and 3) Community Member Compensation Guide. It builds off of CDPHE’s series of resources to operationalize best practices identified in the Community Partnership and Principles Guide (2020).
  • CDHS Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion training modules are now available to counties on CDHS’ county portal: 1) Why is EDI Important 2) What is EDI 3) What are EDI Strategies and 4) How do I include EDI in my work?
  • Child Welfare
    • CDHS three-part virtual seminar series led by Kamilah Clayton, MSW, RSW, CBT to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in child welfare on the Child Welfare Training System: Topics across the three sessions include: Building Collaborative Relationships with Black Communities and Black-Serving Organizations; Decentering Whiteness in Work with Black Families; Empowering Black Staff: Creating and Supporting Safety and Wellness for Black Workers (*for supervisors and managers*); Trauma, Race, and Engagement: How Experiencing Trauma Related to Anti-Black Racism Affects the Working Relationship; A Focus on Equity: Culturally Responsive Ways of Working with Black Families
    • Other Learning Opportunities on Colorado’s Child Welfare Training System:
      • Culturally Humble Casework: Learning From Those You Seek to Help (coming soon)
      • Conversations about race and ethnicity disparity and disproportionality in child welfare is included in training for new caseworkers and supervisors.
      • Child, Family and Tribe: Bringing ICWA to Life
      • Cultural Inclusivity for Caregivers: Understanding Your Role
      • One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Understanding, Contextualizing, and Accommodating Disability in Child Welfare
      • Recruiting Diverse Foster, Kinship and Adoptive Families
      • Courageous Heart Media Circles
    • DCW Town Halls:
  • Adult Protective Services (APS)

EDI /DEI Consultant List

  • Larimer County – consults with American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and AHA Institute- Bridges out of Poverty training, train the trainer.
    • Resources through the Organizational Excellence team with APHSA – jkerr@aphsa.org
    • And also, Alia Innovations – chelsea@aliainnovations.org. Their approach is about bringing in those being served directly or others with lived expertise to help determine the solutions.
  • Dr. Guzman- all day staff training
  • University of Colorado- DEI training for all staff
  • Eagle county hired the Community Language Cooperative to provide language justice and community interpreter training
  • Dr. Beegle- training; MyFriendBen
  • Applied with the Human Rights Campaign for All Children All Families to its annual certification process, training, technical assistance and expert resources which partners with child welfare agencies to remove barriers faced by LGBTQ+ children and families
  • Metropolitan State University of Denver to give a workshop on EDI to our staff.
  • Project Implicit: Harvard Bias Tool
  • CDHS three-part virtual seminar series led by Kamilah Clayton, MSW, RSW, CBT
  • Adams County – Dr. Nicole Bossard (TGC Consulting) has done some work at the local, state and national level. Here is a link to her website- https://www.tgcconsultinginc.com/index.html

EDI / DEI Foster America Consultants

  • Doris Tolliver – Health Management Associates. Doris Tolliver is a strategic thinker and skilled facilitator specializing in racial and ethnic equity, organizational effectiveness, and business strategy. She has worked to advance the interests of underserved populations, serving in programmatic and leadership roles in both private and public sector organizations.  Prior to joining HMA, Doris served as the inaugural managing director of Equitable Impact for the Foster America team, focused on transforming life outcomes for vulnerable children. Dedicated to serving those in need, she served as a child welfare consultant for the Child Welfare Strategy Group (CWSG) at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Doris spent more than a decade in public child welfare service at the Indiana Department of Child Services in various leadership roles, including as chief of staff and human resources director, where she led efforts to shift the organization’s culture to integrate outcomes, technology, and strategic planning.
  • Shana Broadnax – 3 Birds Coaching. Shana is a leadership coach and former nonprofit executive with 20 years of experience driving results in community-based change initiatives. As the Chief Program Officer of PACE Center for Girls from 2014-2017, she led a network of 19 trauma-informed schools for middle and high school girls at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. Previously, she served as Senior Manager at the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), overseeing key cornerstones of their cradle-to-career pipeline – first leading HCZ’s comprehensive early childhood programs, and then heading up their elementary, middle, and high school programs serving more than 4,000 children. She is also an Annie E. Casey Foundation Children and Families Fellow trained in Results-Based Leadership, a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach through the Coaches Training Institute, a certified yoga instructor and yoga therapist, and holds a M.S. in Nonprofit Management from the New School.
  • Kesia Brown – Mending Tree Coaching & Consulting  Kesia is a leadership coach and former General Counsel, Committee on Labor and Workforce Development for Washington DC.  Kesia was also the Assistant Director, Office of Public Interest & Community Service at Georgetown University.  She is an empowerment coach, employee advocate, and DEI consultant.  For individuals, she helps leaders learn about their skill set that they bring to the table so they are clear from the beginning and can set healthy boundaries early in a working relationship. She also helps individuals recover from career set-backs and rediscover the passion that set leaders on their career journey in the first place.  For organizations who are committed to anti-racism and equity work, Kesia offers years of experience working as an employment and labor attorney to help leaders and organizations do better than merely comply with the law.

Other State/National Resources

Books/Articles/Podcasts/Webinars etc.

Contact

1501 Blue Spruce Dr.
Ft. Collins, CO 80524

Phone: 970-498-6455
Email: duroskhe@co.larimer.co.us