The power in our numbers

CCLP annual report 2023-2024

Letter from Lydia McCoy, CEO

Investing in our relationships, our communities

Lydia McCoyCommunity makes us stronger. This is true in our personal lives, where medical science tells us that social ties are some of the biggest determinants of resilience in the face of adversity. Having a strong social circle can even factor into our physical well-being, with friendships and connections reducing the risks of heart disease and stroke.

It’s also true in the work of policy organizations. Coalitions and partnerships amplify all our voices, pool our talents, and broaden our knowledge of challenges and opportunities. Ultimately, community increases our capacity to effect widescale change.

In the time since I’ve joined CCLP, I’ve come to understand better than ever the importance of building each other up, finding common ground and working together. The importance, you could say, of finding our power in numbers. I was fortunate to take on a team that was already highly collaborative and appreciative of the treasures brought by each individual contributor. This was a team where everyone pitched in; it was also a team that leveraged strong relationships across organizational lines. From my own existing network, I knew of CCLP’s reputation: fierce and capable, but also humble, collaborative and quick to celebrate others. The changemakers in my life told stories of working alongside CCLP, in the halls of the Capitol, alongside patients and families, and across the state.

Real progress for those experiencing poverty is necessarily a group effort. You can see that in our annual signature event, Communities Against Poverty, which just last year returned to an in-person celebration. Real progress must also be responsive to the specific needs of our affected communities. In order to find effective solutions, we must first know the nature of the problems our families and our fellow Coloradans face. And to do that, we must pound the pavement, show up, and earn the trust of others so that they’re willing to work with us. We learn so much especially from those with lived experience, and our work is inspired and informed when community members share both their struggles as well as their hopes for a better tomorrow — and their ideas for how to get there.

Community engagement (CE) has long been key to the work this organization has done, and building capacity in this area has been one of my highest priorities of the past year and a half. Community engagement is a continuous practice, one that involves collaborating with groups of people to tackle the issues that directly affect their well-being.

At the start of this year, we formalized our commitment to this practice with a new director-level position. Our cross-functional CE working group has been hard at work publishing public-facing materials, training advocates, as well as doing the direct work of relationship building. All of these efforts are long-term investments in CCLP’s — and our movement’s — capacity for good.

The work we’ve done to grow our connections and build our community has paid dividends already. In the last year and a half, members of our team (and our closest collaborators) have testified on medical debt to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington; we’ve also drawn national attention to our efforts to address the Medicaid enrollment crisis, the Public Health Emergency “unwind,” and our fight to lower the prices of prescription drugs, priorities that all emerged from conversations with community members from across the state. And our legislative successes, some of them models for the rest of the country, are nothing if not the fruits of long-time collaborations with the partner organizations we are proud to call our friends.

In this annual report, our first digital-only edition of this publication, you’ll come across many numbers, representative of the fiscal responsibility and strength of an organization that has been making an oversized impact in Colorado now for over 26 years. These numbers do tell an important story about our stewardship of the funds that are entrusted to us by like-minded foundations and individual contributors. We are grateful for our supporters who make all of this work possible. But I think you’ll agree: the numbers that are most important to the CCLP story are the connections, the relationships we’ve built and continue to build, and the conversations from which new opportunities arise. These connections are the foundation of our capacity to make things better for our neighbors, for our families, and for everyone who calls Colorado their home.

With gratitude for everything you do for Coloradans,

Lydia McCoy
Chief Executive Officer
Colorado Center on Law and Policy

About CCLP

CCLP is an anti-poverty organization advancing the rights of every Coloradan.

We updated our mission statement in 2024, but the work remains the same. We believe in the rights of every Coloradan, not just those with the means to ensure them. And we define Coloradan broadly. If you make this state your home, you’re one of us. We’re happy you’re here, and we’re ready to work alongside you in the fight for economic justice.

Our vision: A Colorado in which everyone has what they need to succeed

It’s a big vision, and we know the journey to get there is bigger than any one individual or organization. That’s why CCLP’s mission goes beyond the hard work we do every day, to see ourselves in the context of the wider coalition of communities, legislators, citizens, and partner organizations that fight against poverty in Colorado.

Our contribution to this fight is our application of multiple professional disciplines, our tools which we seek to apply to the challenges of anti-poverty work in accordance with our core values.

CCLP staff stand along and in front of the Governor's Mansion outdoor staircase, smiling.

Our values

Equity

The barriers to success being higher for certain groups, it is our duty to advance laws and policies that address those wrongs so everyone can have what they need to succeed.

Integrity

We are deliberate and ethical in our work to ensure our results are reliable, unbiased, grounded in fact and driven by our mission to end poverty.

Strategic advocacy

Lasting social change requires smart policy work. We apply research, legislative and legal expertise, relationship-building, and collaboration to advance and implement our agenda.

Collaboration

We know we are but one small part of a big movement to eliminate poverty. We honor the combined strength that comes from trusted relationships, shared knowledge and teamwork.

Community engagement

People burdened by poverty and discrimination know what must change. We seek to understand their ideas, honor their priorities, grow their leadership, and increase their agency to drive system change.

Our tools

Research & policy analysis

We inform policy dialogue by diving into the data, listening to Coloradans, and understanding the challenges so that we can help identify transformative solutions.

Legislative advocacy

We actively build support for the policies that can make real differences in the lives of low-income individuals and families.

Legal advocacy

We pursue legal action when the system fails those who lack the resources or the direct access to the levers of change to address the burdens they face.

Coalition building

We nourish and cultivate strong and effective partnerships throughout Colorado, fighting poverty and advancing equity through the power of numbers, informed by the insights of the diverse perspectives that make up this movement.

Colorado World Tribune

Sunday, December 1, 2024

CCLP Coverage Grows by Leaps and Bounds

Charles Brennan being interviewed by a television news crew

DENVER, CO — CCLP saw a dramatic increase in public awareness in 2023 and 2024, with growth across state and national reporting alike. We were featured in over 50 different media outlets, with staff interviewed or reported on in the New York Times, CNN, NPR, the Associated Press, USA Today, Colorado Public Radio, The Denver Post, Politico, and Rolling Stone.

2023 was our biggest single year of news coverage yet, with 77 stories published and aired about our work. This state-wide, national, and even international reporting blitz was led by our groundbreaking work on medical debt reporting. CCLP played a key role not only in passing and implementing this groundbreaking bill in Colorado, but our work proved influential to legislation in New York as well as federally, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau moved to implement similar rules across the United States.

CCLP staff and community advocates went to Washington to testify, giving CCLP our biggest platform yet in our work to advocate for patients and families.

In 2024 thus far we’ve seen over 50 news stories about CCLP, with much of the reporting focusing on our work around the end of the Public Health Emergency and Colorado’s high rate of Medicaid disenrollments (more on that below!)

Abstract illustration of a group of people in conversation

CCLP news and resources continue to drive traffic to CCLP website

News articles and published resources at the CCLP website remain the largest drivers of traffic to copolicy.org, with CCLP’s extensive library drawing thousands of Coloradans seeking tools for advocacy, education and inspiration. Since the start of 2024, CCLP’s website has seen over 45,000 site visitors, with over 200,000 pages read. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the above news coverage, our most-read story of 2024 remains Colorado’s medical debt credit reporting law takes effect.

CCLP by the numbers

Bills CCLP took positions on in 2024

%

Success rate for 2024 bills signed into law (46 out of 59 passed, 1 vetoed)

Bills CCLP staff testified on at the Colorado Capitol in 2024

Federal filings with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Registrants for CCLP community events in 2024

News outlets (TV, newspapers, radio & web) covering CCLP's work in 2023 & 2024

Big wins for Colorado residents

Mobile homes: one of the last affordable housing options in Colorado

At CCLP, a cornerstone of our housing policy platform remains the safeguarding of the rights and well-being of mobile home park residents. Building on the foundational protections established in the landmark 2022 Mobile Home Park Act, we’ve worked tirelessly to strengthen these safeguards and address emerging challenges faced by residents.

In 2023, we celebrated the passage of the Mobile Home Park Water Quality law (HB23-1257). This pivotal legislation established a water testing program for mobile home parks, ensuring that residents have access to safe, clean water — a fundamental necessity for health and dignity. The urgency of this work became starkly apparent when a Front Range mobile home park lost access to water entirely. In response, CCLP’s Ellen Giarratana stepped in to coordinate immediate relief. Ellen’s efforts ensured the delivery of bottled drinking water to all park residents, providing a lifeline until the underlying issues could be resolved. This experience underscored the vital importance of our advocacy and the need for proactive solutions to prevent such crises.

Our progress continued in 2024 with the passage of HB24-1294, Mobile Homes in Mobile Home Parks, which brought critical updates and clarifications to the 2022 Mobile Home Park Act. These improvements strengthened the protections afforded to residents, providing greater clarity and enforceability of their rights. Once again, our success was made possible through collaboration with key partners, including Representative Andrew Boesenecker, CCLP’s 2023 Legislator of the Year, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in advancing these initiatives.

Through these efforts, we are proud to stand with mobile home park residents, advocating for their rights and well-being while addressing systemic issues head-on. Effective policy is never a one-and-done accomplishment; we often must return to the table to update, clarify and continue to fight for the laws on the books to make a real difference in the lives of the people we serve.

SPOTLIGHT ON: EVICTIONS

CCLP Fighting unjust evictions through better policy

One of the most devastating events for any tenant is an eviction. For far too many Colorado families, an eviction notice arrives as a cruel surprise, with procedures left unfollowed but with little recourse for those whose rights are trampled. That’s why in 2024 CCLP joined the Keep Coloradans Housed coalition to pass For-Cause Evictions (HB24-1098), a major win for tenants across the state.

We also supported the passing of SB24-064, a new law requiring the Judicial Department to report detailed monthly data on evictions. This data will help inform future legislative and regulatory efforts to protect tenants and keep more families in their homes.

Fighting for Colorado patients

Medicaid after COVID-19

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ended on May 11, 2023, marking a significant transition in America’s pandemic response. During the PHE, states received additional federal funding in exchange for maintaining continuous Medicaid coverage, meaning they couldn’t disenroll beneficiaries even if their eligibility changed. This “continuous coverage requirement” helped millions maintain healthcare access during the crisis.

When the PHE ended, however, states began to review eligibility for all Medicaid enrollees – a process called the “Medicaid unwind.” Many beneficiaries faced disenrollment, often due to procedural reasons like not receiving or responding to renewal notices, rather than actual ineligibility. In Colorado, the rate of disenrollment was significantly higher than in states with comparable populations, particularly impacting Coloradans with disabilities.

After listening to affected communities and diving into the data, CCLP raised the alert: there were major problems with how the state was managing the unwind. In February of 2024, alongside our national partner the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), CCLP took the groundbreaking step of filing a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice, pressuring Colorado’s state agency to address the issues underlying the disenrollment crisis in our state. Since then, we have jointly filed three supplemental complaints, continuing to draw local and national attention to this issue that continues to harm so many of our Colorado neighbors.

    Spotlight on… Lowering prescription drug costs

    In the past two years, CCLP has advocated to lower the costs of essential medications for all Coloradans. A significant aspect of this work involves engaging with the Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB), an entity established to assess and regulate drug prices within the state.

    In December 2023 CCLP submitted a public comment to the PDAB concerning the cystic fibrosis medication Trikafta, which carries an annual list price exceeding $300,000. We urged the PDAB to designate Trikafta as unaffordable and to set an upper payment limit, emphasizing the financial burden such high costs impose on patients, healthcare systems, and taxpayers.

    Our advocacy extends beyond individual medications. We also got involved in legal proceedings supporting the PDAB’s authority. In March 2024, Amgen filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Colorado’s PDAB after the state deemed Amgen’s drug Enbrel unaffordable. CCLP submitted an amicus brief defending the state’s efforts to regulate exorbitant drug prices and protect consumers from unsustainable healthcare costs. Read more about CCLP’s work in Rolling Stone magazine.

    “What’s really important here is demonstrating that states have a way of coming to the table and helping to put some downward pressure on pricing, which is just entirely out of control.”

    CCLP…Live and in-person!

    2023 saw the return of live CCLP events after the pandemic years of virtual-only gatherings. Hundreds of friends of CCLP met up from around the state to join us in celebrating both our 25th anniversary event last year, and our first in-person Communities Against Poverty event since 2019. This year we launched our first hybrid virtual+live Legislative Preview event, co-hosted with Colorado Consumer Health Initiative at Colorado’s Health Capitol. Over 100 people joined in-person for the event and reception, with 50 more tuning in over the internet.

    Our now-annual CCLP birthday celebration in July saw a strong returning audience to the Carriage House at the Governor’s Mansion, and to Communities Against Poverty 2024 at the History Colorado Center. We look forward to seeing everyone again at our upcoming 2025 Legislative Preview!

    Colorado Center on Law and Policy

    Statements of financial position 2022 & 2023

    December 31

    2023

    2022

    Assets

        Current assets:

           Cash and cash equivalents $ 777,053 $ 882,859
           Restricted cash – fiscal sponsorship 167,760
           Investments – bonds and CD 313,522 649,775
           Grants and contributions receivable, current portion 577,670 837,117
           Fiscal sponsorship receivable 25,000
           Prepaids 5,116 5,844
               Total current assets 1,673,361 2,568,355

        Long-term assets:

           Deposit 7,850 7,850
           Grants and contributions receivable, net of current portion and discounts 368,881 553,329
            Right of use assets – operating, net 947,574 1,474,093
               Total other assets 1,324,305 2,035,272
                Total assets $ 2,997,666 $ 4,603,627

    Liabilities and net assets

        Current liabilities:

           Accounts payable $ 102,808 $ 140,854
           Accrued expenses 3,289 10,705
          Current portion of lease liability – operating 160,241 180,219
           Fiscal sponsorship payable 167,760
               Total current liabilities 266,338 499,538

        Long-term liabilities:

       
            Lease liability – operating, net of current portion 787,333 1,293,874
                Total long-term liabilities 787,333 1,293,874
                Total liabilities 1,053,671 1,793,412

        Net assets:

           Without donor restriction 930,757 (142,012)
           With donor restriction 1,013,238 2,952,227
               Total net assets 1,943,995 2,810,215
               Total liabilities and net assets $ 2,997,666 $ 4,603,627

    Financial positions 2022, 2023

    Statements of financial activity, 2022 & 2023

    For the year ended December 31, 2023 with summarized comparative totals for 2022 (restated)

    Without
    donor
    restrictions

    With donor restrictions

    2023
    Total

    2022
    Summarized

    Revenue and support:

        Grants and contributions $ (78,233) $ 2,036,563 $ 1,958,330 $ 1,926,885
        Fiscal sponsorship income 66,134 66,134 600
        Special event income 9,715 9,715
        Lease income 4,000 4,000 3,550
        In-kind contributions 560 560
        Other income 30 30 399
        Released from restrictions 3,975,552 (3,975,552)
    Total revenue and support 3,977,758 (1,938,989) 2,038,769 1,931,434

    Functional expenses:

        Program services 2,699,369 2,699,369 2,622,891
        Management and general 123,002 123,002 141,098
        Fundraising 94,226 94,226 69,995
    Total functional expenses 2,916,597 2,916,597 2,833,984
    Change in net assets from operating activities 1,061,161 (1,938,989) (877,828) 902,550)

    Non-operating income (expense):

        Net investment income 15,603 15,603 471
        Interest expense (1,975) (1,975)
        Miscellaneous expense (2,020) (2,020) 12,998
    Change in net assets from non-operating activities 11,608 11,608 13,469
    Change in net assets 1,072,769 (1,938,989) (866,220) (889,081)
    Net assets at beginning of year as previously reported (142,012) 2,862,119 2,720,107 3,699,296
    Prior period adjustment* 90,108 90,108
    Net assets at beginning of year as restated (142,012) 2,952,227 2,810,215 3,699,296
    Net assets at end of year $ 930,757 $ 1,013,238 $ 1,943,995 $ 2,810,215

    *Note: The prior year audit financial statements have been adjusted to reflect $90,108 more in contribution receivables and revenues related to a reimbursement grant. The expenses were recognized for this same amount in the prior year; thus, contribution receivables and revenues have been adjusted to match the expense recognition. This adjustment caused the prior year net assets to increase by $90,108.

    Philanthropic Partners 2022 & 2023

    Foundations, partners and funds

    • Aloha Foundation
    • Boettcher Foundation
    • Buell Foundation
    • Caring for Colorado
    • Center for Health Progress (CHP)
    • Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
    • Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (CCHI)
    • Colorado Fiscal Institute
    • Colorado Gives Foundation
    • Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation (COLTAF)
    • Community Catalyst, Inc
    • Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Program CDHS
    • EARN (Economic Analysis and Research Network)
    • Forth (Port Forth) Greenlining Institute
    • Health Care for All Colorado
    • Hopewell Fund
    • Interfaith Alliance of Colorado
    • Lederer Foundation, Inc.
    • Chambers Initiative
    • Mile High United Way
    • National Health Law Program
    • National Skills Coalition
    • New Venture Fund
    • New York Community Trust
    • Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
    • PB and K Family Foundation
    • Pear Project Services
    • Rose Community Foundation
    • Shriver Center on Poverty Law
    • The Bell Policy Center
    • The Blackbaud Giving Fund
    • The Colorado Health Foundation
    • The Colorado Trust
    • The Consortium
    • The Denver Foundation
    • The Humphreys Foundation
    • The Piton Foundation
    • The Redress Movement
    • The Virginia Hill Foundation
    • The Women’s Foundation of Colorado
    • Trailhead Institute
    • Vanderbilt University Law School
    • WEND

    CCLP Board of Directors

    Chair

    Beatriz Bonnet

    Vice Chair & Secretary

    Lynn Borup

    Treasurer

    Carole Brite, CPA

    Members

    Matthew Baca
    Thomas Davidson
    Ariana Flores
    Ana Fernandez Frank
    Miriam Goetzke
    Nicholas Heimann
    Jose L. Vasquez, Esq.

    Board of Directors photo mosaic, December 2024

    You may have noticed some new faces on our board in the last year! CCLP’s Board of Directors has changed over time, with long-time friends of CCLP reaching the ends of their terms and new members taking their places. What hasn’t changed is the deep thoughtfulness, broad perspectives, and strong support of those who guide and oversee the work of our organization. A special thanks to goes out to the board members who ended completed their service with the organization in the past year and a half, including Beverly Buck, Barbara Yondorf, T. A. Taylor-Hunt, and Jon Asher.

    Individual donors, 2022 & 2023

    CCLP would not be able to do the work we do without the generous support of our individual philanthropists.

    • Gladys Aispuro
    • Cathy Alderman
    • Kristin Alexander
    • Michael Mike Altenbern
    • Mary Anderson
    • Kristi Arellano
    • Deb Armbruster
    • Katy Arnold
    • Rachel Arnow-Richman
    • Jonathan Jon Asher
    • Matthew Baca
    • Shelley Banker
    • Sarah Barnes
    • Bruce Barnum
    • Ray Barrie-Kivel
    • Elizabeth Baskett
    • Frederick Baumann
    • David Becher
    • Caryn Becker
    • Kay Bengston
    • Robert Benson
    • Ronald Binz
    • Christy Blakely
    • Todd Blakely
    • Beatriz Bonnet
    • Jeff Bontrager
    • Lynn Borup
    • Betty Ann Boyd
    • Sally Brainerd
    • Steve C Briggs
    • Tom Brinegar
    • Carole Brite
    • Bishop Brogden
    • Kristin Bronson
    • Sonia Brown
    • Beverly Buck
    • Bri Buentello
    • Laura Buhs
    • Donald & Lynn Burnes
    • Mari Bush
    • David Butler
    • DeAnne Butterfield
    • David Bye
    • Bill Callison
    • Bruce A. Campbell
    • Joel W. Cantrick
    • Tom Carrillo
    • Mary Colleen Casper
    • Anne Castle
    • Christine Chandler
    • Amanda Chen
    • Christiane Citron
    • Bonnie Lang Clarke
    • Alice Clark
    • Stephanie Cole
    • Robert Connelly
    • Isabel Cruz
    • Frank A Daviess
    • Sha’Von Davis
    • Peter Dawson
    • Paul Day-Lucore
    • Bonnie DeHart
    • Cynthia P. Delaney
    • Lidia Diaz Espinoza
    • Mark Donovan
    • Jean Dubofsky
    • Gale R. and Wallace P. (Sandy) Dunlap
    • Crisanta Duran
    • Heidi Eastman
    • Margaret Elmer
    • Kira Enriquez
    • Maureen Farrell-Stevenson
    • Ana Fernandez Frank
    • Lee Fisher-Rosenberg
    • Adela Flores-Brennan
    • Kelly Folks
    • William Ford
    • Ronald Forthofer
    • Nathan Foster
    • Nicole Foucher
    • Adam Fox
    • Andrew Franklin
    • Lisa Franklin
    • Elizabeth Freudenthal
    • Alison Friedman Phillips
    • Walter Garnsey
    • Charles Giarratana
    • Miriam Goetzke
    • Rudolph Gonzales
    • Kevin Good
    • Samuel P. Guyton
    • Kim Hagar
    • Pamela E. Haglund
    • Bruce Hall
    • William Hanna
    • Melissa Hart
    • Laurie A Harvey
    • Nicholas Heimann
    • Richard Hennessy
    • John Herrick
    • Debra Hershcopf Kennedy
    • Sigrid H Higdon
    • Nicholas Hoch
    • Arlene Hoffman
    • Vanessa Hofmann
    • Kevin Homiak
    • Elizabeth H. Horn
    • Dyan Renee Hummel
    • Phyllis J Hunt
    • Sonia ImMasche
    • Terri Jackson
    • Jana Jacobs
    • Marc Jacobson
    • Debra Judy
    • Edwin Kahn
    • Milton Kahn
    • Cynthia Kahn – In Memory of David Butler
    • Leslie Kalechman
    • Martha J Karnopp
    • Kenzo Kawanabe
    • John Kefalas
    • Terrance Kelly
    • Ross Kelman
    • Helene Kent
    • Maurice Knaizer
    • Alyssa Kopf
    • Patricia Kriebel
    • Dontae Latson
    • James Jim Laurie
    • Claire Levy
    • Harold Link
    • Leslie Lomas
    • Josef Lopez
    • Sarah Lopez
    • James H Maguire
    • In memory of Caroline Malde
    • Margaretha Maloney
    • Adrienne Mansanares
    • Jack Martins
    • Joel McClurg
    • Lydia McCoy
    • Alex McHenry
    • Marjorie McIntosh
    • Joanne McLain
    • Ed Meek
    • Linda Meric
    • Jennifer Miles
    • Teresa Monley
    • Nan Morehead
    • Shawna Mounsey
    • Norman Mueller
    • Lisana Munoz
    • Lindsay Neil
    • Allison Neswood
    • Paul Neumann
    • Zachary Neumann
    • Sharon O’Hara
    • Meredith O’Harris
    • Linda Olson
    • Grace Ormsby
    • Lisi Owen
    • Sarah Parady, Esq.
    • Barry Pardus
    • Chester F Pauls
    • Jeffrey Pearson
    • Julie Pecaut
    • Christine M Pertusi
    • Sharron Pettiford
    • David William Pilkenton
    • Linda Plaut
    • Elaine Podell
    • Fredrick Powers
    • Judith Prakken
    • Marjorie Pray
    • Bethany Pray
    • Jack Regenbogen
    • Julie Reiskin
    • Andrea Reitzel
    • Robert Rich
    • Roberta Ritvo
    • Eric Rivedal
    • Chaer Robert
    • Cordelia Robinson
    • Jack Robinson
    • Lori Rosendahl
    • Robert and Gillian Rosenthal
    • David Ruchman
    • Chris Russell
    • Nathalie Sabbagh
    • Nedra San Filippo
    • Marcella Schieffelin
    • Shannon Secrest
    • Peter Severson
    • Elizabeth and Rodney Black
    • Barbara Shaklee
    • James Shaw
    • Rona Shor
    • Andrea Shultz
    • Jon Sirkis
    • David Skaggs
    • Kathy Smith
    • Nicole Speer
    • Susan Stark
    • Adam Steinbrunner
    • Helen R Stone
    • Marilyn Stranske
    • Denise Suarez
    • Jessica Sveen
    • Emily Tapia
    • Janet Tapy
    • Rebecca Taylor
    • T. A. Taylor-Hunt
    • Reenie Reenie Terjak
    • Kenneth L Tharp
    • Lisa Thompson
    • Mary Ann Thompson
    • Michael Touff
    • Jean Townsend
    • Dianne Tramutola-Lawson
    • Karolyn Tregembo
    • Jose Vasquez
    • Alex Vercio
    • Lindsey Vigoda
    • Larry Volmert
    • Cynthia Wadle
    • Taber Ward
    • Laura Ware
    • Maureen Welch
    • Andrew West
    • Kathy White
    • Terry Whitney
    • Susan Williamson
    • Mary Ann Wilner, PHD
    • David Winfrey
    • Ruth M Wright
    • Barbara Yondorf
    • Ryan Zeiger

    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.