What’s Next for Triad Bright Futures

The Bright Futures Roadmap was launched in 2019 but was quickly disrupted by the pandemic. In 2022, Colorado voters approved Universal Preschool (UPK). To implement the program, the State required all counties to select a Local Coordinating Organization (LCO) to support UPK enrollment and connect families with resources.

So in 2023 Triad Bright Futures was created to be the LCO for Gilpin, Clear Creek, and Jefferson counties and restart Bright Futures Roadmap efforts. I was the first person to be hired! It’s been incredibly rewarding to build and sustain an organization focused on ensuring every family has equitable access to resources and information children need to thrive.

How has Triad Bright Futures supported children and families in Jefferson, Gilpin, and Clear Creek counties?

We help families and child care providers navigate Colorado’s UPK program. Since we launched, we’ve helped more than 15,000 preschoolers enroll in UPK and partnered with 220 licensed mixed delivery providers in center-based, school-based, faith-based, and in-home programs to promote and manage UPK enrollment. We provide information on child development, family support and parenting education programs, and how to access child care and community resources.

Through the Bright Futures Roadmap, we also convene over 40 organizations to streamline access to services, develop the early childhood workforce, and strengthen connections among partners.

One initiative I’m especially proud of is the Maternal Child Health Leaders for Equity (MCHLE) project, a collaboration between Cuenta Conmigo Cooperative, Triad Bright Futures, and JCPH, that last year paired 20 Latina community members who have lived experience in finding solutions to health and mental health challenges with change agents within organizations committed to supporting maternal and child health. 

In its first year, 20 participants completed education sessions, bi-directional mentorship, and hands-on learning while building career pathways. Eight community leaders earned doula certifications, five became Community Health Workers, and surveys show meaningful progress toward reducing health inequities.

In year two, 15 returning participants are developing community-based projects in areas such as doula care, lactation support, nutrition, and community health. Several have earned additional certifications, and they’re already serving hundreds of families. We’re excited about the program’s potential to grow.

Another initiative is expanding child care access in Clear Creek County. In partnership with Expanding Early Care and Learning (EECL) and other local organizations, we secured funding from the Comis Foundation to launch a new summer preschool program that fills a longstanding child care gap along the I-70 corridor. The program currently serves 18 preschoolers and will bridge care until a new early childhood center opens next year. Additional funding is also expanding after-school care and staffing beginning this fall.

It’s been an honor to partner with you! What would you want other organizations to know if they’re considering a fiscal sponsorship or administrative partnership like the one you’ve had with Trailhead?

Trailhead was wonderful to work with. Their Administrative Partnership team provided expert support in finance, grants, governance, human resources, project management, and staff development, allowing us to stay focused on serving families.

My staff felt included in the larger family of Trailhead Institute and were able to participate in professional and personal development opportunities that created resilience for our team. I recommend Trailhead for any organization looking for a variety of fiscal sponsorship options. You have also been fantastic in supporting us during this organizational transition to our local public health agency.

Some at the state level viewed LCOs as duplicative of early childhood councils, but our role has always been complimentary, iterative, and collaborative. We brought partners together, piloted new ideas, and helped successful programs scale. The Maternal Child Health Leaders for Equity initiative and the Clear Creek preschool project are great examples of innovation that wouldn’t have happened without Triad Bright Futures and early investors like Early Milestones Colorado and Comis Foundation..

The closure of Triad Bright Futures and launch of a new early childhood council is a lot of change for the community, especially for our childcare providers that have come to rely on us for help with UPK.

However, the ECC, through Gateway Partnership, will continue serving families and providers and with greater resources. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood is centralizing UPK enrollment through its expanded UPK Contact Center, and JCPH will continue advancing the Bright Futures Roadmap strategies based on ongoing community needs assessments.

What continue to be some of the biggest challenges for families you serve?