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2022-2023 Goals

Goals for 2022-2023

The Skllls2Compete-Colorado coalition is proud to announce the adoption of our Goals for 2022-2023 (PDF version available here).

Goal #1: Support the National Skills Coalition’s Skills for an Inclusive Recovery policy agenda

  • A safety net that supports workers’ long-term pathways to skilled careers
  • A comprehensive approach to re-training and re-employment for all displaced workers
  • Publicly funded job creation that includes training for those in need of a new career
  • Support to local businesses to avert layoffs and encourage upskilling
  • Sector partnerships to drive industry specific training and hiring strategies
  • Digital access and learning for all working people at home and on the job
  • High quality, job-ready education for those who need to re-enter the labor market, including making college work for working people
  • Public data and accountability regarding who is being included in this recovery

For more details, visit: https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/resource/publications/skills-foran-inclusive-economic-recovery/

Goal #2: Expand the access to support services for education, skills training, job search and job retention for those with barriers to employment

Support services include childcare, housing and transportation.

  • Renew the Emergency Employment Support Services Program
  • Identify ways to leverage existing sources of funding for support services.
  • Advocate for additional funding for support services, and the role of support services in educational success and job retention.
  • Work with Colorado Department of Higher Education on the role they can play in identifying and connecting low-income students to support services to help them complete their education.

Goal #3: Promote digital inclusion at both the individual and systemic levels

  • Work with the Future of Work Office to plan a coordinated state agency response to the need for people to acquire digital access, connectivity, and skills to obtain skills training, succeed at job search, and retain ongoing employment. Identify specific digital skills required and of value. Promote access to community digital coaches and community internet access.
  • Advocate for digital skills training through every means possible — on the job, from adult education, libraries, schools (to include both children and their parents in digital access and skills), human services, community service organizations, etc.
  • Build in optional access points into systems set up for online access only.

Goal #4: Advocate for SNAP Employment and Training development into a skill-building, career launching opportunity

  • Advise Colorado Department of Human Services on implementation of HB21-1270, our bill which added a one-time $3 million in state funding to pull down a $3 million federal match to expend and improve the SNAP Employment and Training Program. Our emphasis is expansion to rural areas without the program and the inclusion of smaller community-based providers who could not afford to front the 50% non-federal match.
  • Track the development of additional support services and work-based learning opportunities
  • Work with Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Higher Education, Hunger-Free Colorado, Young Invincibles, etc. on expanding access to SNAP by having Community College CTE Classes count as work activity, and by identifying and leveraging Work Study funding to maximize the number of low-income four-year students who will qualify automatically.

Goal #5: Expand Access to Adult Education

  • Advocate for increased ongoing funding. A one-time infusion of $5 million in American Rescue Plan funding under HB21-1264 will temporarily fund an expansion from the previous funding level of less than $1 million per year in general fund.
  • Evaluate outcomes for the “Pay-For-Performance” Adult Education funding. If a renewal is introduced, advocate for measures to prevent potential “creaming”, versus equal access and expansion of eligibility to include adult education providers who are not the degree granting entity
  • Advocate for family literacy (2 gen approach) and English as a second language instruction made possible by the passage of 20-SB009, not just High School Equivalency instruction for immediate employment. This is important for race equity in education and reducing the education gap. HB21-1264’s one-time $5 million in funding can be used for this purpose.

Goal #6: Reduce Barriers to Education, Training, and Employment

  • Identify demographic characteristics of Coloradans are not in the workforce — a far larger number than those who are officially unemployed. See Returning to Work After COVID-19.
  • Identify how their barriers could be reduced through policy changes (E.g. access to child or elder care, criminal record exclusions, potential loss of disability-related support services if employed, etc.)
  • Identify and build out elements of “a pathway to the pathway”. Identify how to bridge gaps between where people are at and where the skills training and education is happening. Highlight promising practices in this area.
  • Research use of “Ability to Benefit” provisions to allow those without a high school diploma to still access a Pell grant to acquire training for eligible career pathways.
  • Track how federal and state workforce dollars are used. Review outcomes data. Are funds reaching those in rural areas? Is there demographic data about who benefits most from increased federal and state funding- by race, age, educational level, previous or current job sectors, etc.

Goal #7: Improve consumer information on education and training opportunities, costs, and outcomes

The State has been consolidating much consumer information on the My Colorado Journey website, which is helpful for those using the site. The Skills2Compete–Colorado role is to link community-based organizations helping people seeking training and employment with the work being done and opportunities available.

  • Provide more information on pathways to careers, especially for adults. Education, skills acquisition, and retraining opportunities should be lifelong, and include affordable and free options
  • Encourage the development of sector partnerships in sectors where people with barriers to employment tend to work, e.g. hospitality, retail.
  • Support inclusion of outcomes data — program specific earnings, student loan default rates, etc. — for private occupational schools in comparative state website.
  • Build on the state government work to define high quality industry recognized credentials, and learn the usefulness of credentials in the employment market:
    • Which credentials are most sought out by employers?
    • Which credentials seem to have only limited value to employers?
    • How does that information get out to jobseekers?
    • Do job seekers in rural Colorado have access to short term credentials?

Goal #8: Link/integrate systems to better serve people

By systems, we mean Colorado Department of Labor and workforce centers, Colorado Department of Human Services and public benefits, Department of Corrections, Department of Local Affairs, homeless service providers, Colorado Department of Education and adult education service providers, Colorado Department of Higher Education, the local community one lives in, and one’s own family members. Actual people often must navigate multiple systems.

  • Identify examples of systems integration with the workforce component
  • Capture the landscape of system isolation vs integration in Colorado in a written report, based on interviews with staff from various agencies
  • Produce a webinar on the topic

Goal #9: Advocate for improved job quality

Beyond channeling people into high paid, high demand, high skills jobs, we need people for work that is currently very low-paid. All workers should be able to enhance their skills and move toward selfsufficiency. Many of the jobs currently open are essential to us all, but have low pay, no flexibility, are more dangerous, and garner little respect.

  • Caregivers of young and elderly need adequate pay, respect, access to benefits, and the opportunity to enhance their skills. Support such proposals.
  • Advocate to employment support for education and training at the entry levels of their organizations. (Upskilling)
  • Support access to education, training, and opportunities for upward mobility among “gig” and contract workers.

HEALTH:
HEALTH FIRST COLORADO (MEDICAID)

Health First Colorado is the name given to Colorado’s Medicaid program. Medicaid provides public, low-cost health insurance to qualifying adults and children. It is an entitlement program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. Those who are required to pay must pay a small co-pay when receiving certain health care services.

State Department: Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Eligibility: Most adults 18 to 64 are eligible for Medicaid in Colorado if their household income is at or below 133% of the federal poverty limit (FPL). Pregnant women are eligible with incomes of up to 195% FPL, while children under 18 may be eligible if the live in a household with income at or below 142% FPL. Some adults over 65 may also be eligible for Medicaid.

Program Benefits: Through Medicaid, low-income Coloradans are eligible for a range of health care services at little to not cost. Services provided include doctors visits, prescription drugs, mental health services, and dental care. Co-pays for certain individuals may be needed for certain services.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds our Medicaid program through state and federal dollars. Medicaid is an entitlement program, which means that all who are eligible for Medicaid can access the program, regardless of the funding level in a given year. This does not mean that it is always easy to access Medicaid, even when eligible. And since the program is administered by counties, funding levels for county staff and other administrative roles can make it easier or harder for Coloradans to access the program. On top of this, not all medical providers accept Medicaid which limits the ability of Coloradans to seek health services even if enrolled, such as if the nearest provider is a 2+ hour drive away.

Note: This data is from before the pandemic and does not reflect changes in enrollment rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and public health emergency.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 89.0% of the population at or below 133% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for Medicaid) were enrolled in Medicaid in Colorado.

FOOD SECURITY:
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP helps low-income Coloradans purchase food by providing individuals and families with a monthly cash benefit that can be used to buy certain foods. SNAP is an entitlement program that is funded by the federal and state governments and administered by counties in Colorado.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: Currently, Coloradans qualify for SNAP if they have incomes below 200% FPL, are unemployed or work part-time or receive other forms of assistance such as TANF, among other eligibility criteria. Income eligibility for SNAP was different during the study period of this report than today—it was 130% FPL back in 2019 for example. The US Department of Agriculture uses the population at or below 125% FPL when calculating the Program Access Index (or PAI) for SNAP. We follow this practice in our analysis despite Colorado currently having a higher income eligibility threshold.

Program Benefits: SNAP participants receive a monthly SNAP benefit that is determined by the number of people in their household and their income. Benefit amounts decrease as income increases, helping households avoid a sudden loss of SNAP when their incomes increase, even by a minor amount. Benefits are provided to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to purchase eligible food items, such as fruits and vegetables; meat, poultry, and fish; dairy products; and breads and cereals. Other items, such as foods that are hot at their point of sale, are not allowable purchases under current SNAP rules.

Program Funding and Access: SNAP, like Medicaid, is a federal entitlement program. This means that Colorado must serve any Coloradan who is eligible for the program. As such, funding should not be a limit to how many Coloradans can be served by the program. However, funding for administration of SNAP at the state and county level can limit the ability of county human service departments to enroll those who are eligible. Other program rules and administrative barriers can make it difficult for Coloradans to receive the benefits they are legally entitled to receive.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 61.1% of the population at or below 125% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for SNAP) were enrolled.

FOOD SECURITY:
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also know as WIC, provides healthcare and nutritional support to low-income Coloradans who are pregnant, recently pregnant, breastfeeding, and to children under 5 who are nutritionally at risk based on a nutrition assessment.

State Department: Department of Public Health and Environment

Eligibility: To participate in WIC you must be pregnant, pregnant in the last six months, breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age, or a child under the age of 5. Coloradans do not need to be U.S. citizens to be eligible for WIC. In terms of income, households cannot have incomes that exceed 185% FPL. Families who are enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or Medicaid are automatically eligible for WIC. Regardless of gender, any parents, foster parents, or caregivers are able to apply for and use WIC services for eligible children.

Program Benefits: WIC provides a range of services to young children and their parents. These include funds to purchase healthy, fresh foods; breastfeeding support; personalized nutrition education and shopping tips; and referrals to health care and other services participants may be eligible for.

Program Funding and Access: WIC is funded by the US Department of Agriculture. The state uses these federal funds to contract with local providers, known as WIC Clinics. In most cases, these are county public health agencies, but that is not the case in all Colorado counties. Some WIC Clinics cover multiple counties, while others are served by multiple clinics. Private non-profit providers are also eligible to be selected as a WIC Clinic.

Statewide Program Access 2015-17: Between 2015 and 2017, an average of 52.2% of the population eligible for WIC were enrolled in the program in Colorado.

Financial Security:
Colorado Works

Colorado Works is the name given to Colorado’s program for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF. It is an employment program that supports families with dependent children on their path to self-sufficiency. Participants can receive cash assistance, schooling, workforce development and skills training depending on the services available in their county.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: In general, Coloradans are eligible to enroll in TANF if they are a resident of Colorado, have one or more children under the age of 18 or pregnant, and have very low or no income. For example, to be eligible to receive a basic cash assistance grant through TANF, a single-parent of one child could not earn more than $331 per month, with some exclusions—and would only receive $440 per month (as of 2022). That said, there are other services provided by counties through TANF that those with incomes as high as $75,000 may be eligible for. In addition to these, participants in TANF are required to work or be pursuing an eligible “work activity” or work-related activity. Any eligible individual can only receive assistance if they have not previously been enrolled in TANF for a cumulative amount of time of more than 60 months—this is a lifetime limit that does not reset. Counties may have additional requirements and offer benefits that are not available in other counties in Colorado.

Program Benefits:  While the exact benefits that one is eligible for under TANF can vary, all qualified participants are eligible to receive a monthly cash payment, call basic cash assistance. Other than cash assistance, counties are have a lot of choice in how to use their TANF funding; generally a use of TANF funds is appropriate so long as it advances one or more of the four purposes of the program: (1) provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of their relatives; (2) end the dependence of needy families on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

It is important to note that those eligible for TANF are also eligible for many of the other programs we’ve included in this report, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and CCCAP.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds its TANF program through funds received from the federal government through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. Most of the federal funds are allocated by the state to counties, which are required to provide a 20% match of state funding. Federal and state rules allow the state and counties to retain a portion of unspent funds in a TANF reserve.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 50.7% of the population at or below 100% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for TANF) were enrolled in TANF in Colorado.

EARLY LEARNING:
COLORADO CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CCCAP)

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program provides child care assistance to low-income families and caregivers living in Colorado in the form of reduced payments for child care. It is a program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. The share owed by parents/caregivers is determined on a sliding scale based on the family’s income.

State Department: Department of Early Childhood Education

Eligibility: Counties set eligibility for families separately, but must serve families with incomes at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Limit. Families accepted to the program are no longer eligible once their income exceeds 85% of the state median income. Parents or caregivers must be employed, searching for work, or engaged in another approved activity to be eligible for CCCAP. Parents and caregivers enrolled in Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) or in the child welfare system are also eligible to participate in CCCAP. Generally, CCCAP serves families with children under 13, although children as old as 19 may be eligible under certain circumstances.

Program Benefits: If a family is eligible for CCCAP and has income, they may likely have to pay a portion of their child’s or children’s child care costs each month. The amount that families owe is based on their gross income, number of household members, and the number of children in child care in the household. As such, households tend not to experience a benefit cliff with CCCAP when they see their incomes increase

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds the CCCAP program using federal dollars it receives from the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The state allocates federal and state funds to counties using a formula that takes into account factors like current caseloads and the number of eligible residents. Assistance is available until the county’s funds are spent, so the number of families that can be served is often a function of how much funding is available and the income and composition of the household that applies. It is not uncommon for counties to overspend or underspend their allocations of funds. The state reallocates unspent funds from counties who underspent to those who overspent. While underspending could indicate a problem with the way a county administers its CCCAP program, it could just as likely be a sign that there are few providers in the county who participate in CCCAP—or a lack of providers generally.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 10.8% of the population at or below 165% of FPL and younger than age 13 (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for CCCAP) were enrolled in CCCAP.

Housing:
HUD rental assistance programs

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has three housing assistance programs that we look at together: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), Project-based Section 8, and Public Housing. In Colorado, these programs provided assistance to over 90% of the households who received federal housing assistance from all HUD programs. Through federally funded, local or regional public housing agencies (PHAs) are the agencies that administer these programs, through not all are available in all counties. These are not the only programs available in Colorado that assist households afford the cost of housing, such as units funded through federal and state tax credit programs.

State Department: Department of Local Affairs

Eligibility: Generally, households with incomes under 50% of the area median income (AMI) of the county they live in are eligible for these rental assistance programs, although PHAs have discretion to select households with incomes at higher percentages of AMI. That said, HUD requires that 75% of new vouchers issued through the Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 program in a given year are targeted to households with incomes at or below 30% of AMI. PHAs are also able to create criteria that give priority to certain types of households who are on waiting lists for these programs.

Program Benefits: These rental assistance programs help households afford the cost of housing by reducing their housing costs to around 30% of their household income. In the case of the Housing Choice Voucher program, the PHA pays the voucher holder’s landlord the remaining portion of the rent.

Program Funding and Access: Funding and access are both challenges for these rental assistance programs. In addition to limitations on the number of public housing units or housing vouchers a PHA can manage or issue, lack of funding compared to the need constrains the ability of PHAs to assist low-income households. In 2020, Coloradans were on waitlists for Housing Choice Vouchers for an average of 17 months. Waitlists also exist for the other rental assistance programs.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 21.1% of renter households with incomes at or below 50% AMI (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for HUD rental assistance programs) were living in subsidized housing.