Colorado

CDHS Recognizes Five Colorado Adoptive Families in Celebration of National Adoption Month

Published

2 years ago

November 7, 2022

CDHS Recognizes Five Colorado Adoptive Families in Celebration of National Adoption Month

Adoptive households wanted in each neighborhood in Colorado

DENVER, Nov. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — In celebration of Nationwide Adoption Month in November and to encourage extra Coloradans to contemplate adoption from foster care, the Colorado Division of Human Providers (CDHS) acknowledged 5 distinctive adoptive households from throughout the state in an occasion on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Saturday.

In celebration of Nationwide Adoption Month in November and to encourage extra Coloradans to contemplate adoption from foster care, the Colorado Division of Human Providers acknowledged 5 distinctive adoptive households from throughout the state in an occasion on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Saturday, Nov. 5.

“The 5 households we rejoice this month exhibit the facility of unconditional love and help that helps children thrive,” stated Michelle Barnes, Govt Director of CDHS. “This yr we’re celebrating a number of households who’ve adopted relations and kids they know by kinship care.”

Since January 2022, 475 Colorado kids and youth in foster care have been adopted in Colorado. Presently there are 408 Colorado kids and youth who’re ready for a household. Most youngsters and youth who’re adopted from foster care are adopted by their foster mother and father.

Each Colorado neighborhood wants adoptive and foster mother and father, particularly households who’re keen to care for youngsters with complicated behavioral and psychological well being wants, sibling teams and kids whose first language is just not English. Foster mother and father have to be at the very least 21 years outdated and be capable to present a protected, loving and secure household atmosphere. There aren’t any limitations primarily based on earnings, race, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, gender identification or gender expression.

“We all know that individuals are interested in foster care and adoption and wish to know extra in regards to the course of,” stated Minna Castillo Cohen, director of the CDHS Workplace of Kids, Youth and Households. “By sharing their tales in our public consciousness marketing campaign, these 5 households will assist us encourage others to help kids and youth who want foster or kinship care.”

The 5 households being acknowledged for Nationwide Adoption Month are:

Eric and Keshian Holcomb from Campo (licensed by Otero County DHS)
In 2021, first-time foster mother and father Eric and Keshian went from having by no means been mother and father to being mother and father to 2 boys. Quickly after assembly Chazwick, now 12, they’d a powerful bond and needed to supply the permanency he wanted. Shortly after assembly Chazwick, Eric and Keshian obtained a name about one other little boy named Austin, now three years outdated, who wanted a house. The boys moved into the Holcomb’s house collectively in July 2021. Austin and Chazwick rapidly developed a detailed sibling bond. Each boys had been adopted by Eric and Keshian on Feb. 22, 2022. The household enjoys spending time collectively tenting, fishing, driving four-wheelers, and being lively members of their close-knit neighborhood.

Elisa and Evan Hopper from Colorado Springs (licensed by Children Crossing)
Elisa and Evan first met their daughter by a foster household at their church in 2020. Elisa had briefly offered foster care beforehand, however Evan had not. They rapidly began the method of getting licensed as foster mother and father and discovered all the things they might about Belief-Primarily based Relational Intervention (TBRI) with the intention to assist them higher perceive their daughter’s distinctive challenges and create an atmosphere of security and connection. Elisa and Evan adopted their daughter, now 10 years outdated, in March 2021 and she or he has thrived with a neighborhood of execs and prolonged household who fashioned a loving neighborhood round her. The household additionally supplies respite care to different kids and youth in foster care of their neighborhood.

Joe and Rebecca Humenansky from Littleton (licensed by Hope and Dwelling)
Joe and Rebecca already had 4 kids after they turned foster mother and father 5 years in the past. They needed to be a help to organic households and supply a short lived protected place for youngsters and youth to heal. Since 2017, they’ve offered short- and long-term look after 48 kids and youth, and have additionally adopted 4 kids and youth and proceed to supply foster care. They at present have 10 kids and youth aged 4 to 19 of their house. Regardless of their busy schedules, Joe and Rebecca find time for all of their kids to have one-on-one time with them and be certain that the youngsters they’ve adopted even have common contact with vital, protected individuals of their lives.

Dylan and Taylor Ledford from Del Norte (licensed by Weld County)
Dylan and Taylor had been elementary college academics in Greeley when Dylan made a reference to three of 4 siblings at his college who had been in foster care. When Dylan and Taylor moved to Del Norte in 2020, they stayed in contact with the children and opened up their house when a everlasting place was wanted for the sibling group. The couple rapidly bought licensed as foster mother and father with Weld County and the sibling group of 4 moved in with them in October of 2020. Now ages 12 to 16, Dylan and Taylor adopted the sibling group in a digital ceremony in November of 2021. They take pleasure in spending time collectively at house and touring collectively as a household.

Kimberly and William Murray from Denver (licensed with El Paso County Kinship Foster Care)
In 2019, when Kimberly and William’s granddaughter was just a few months outdated, she confronted extreme accidents and wanted round the clock care and a protected place to go, so that they opened their house. Kimberly and William additionally had been granted custody of a second youngster, her sister, in 2020 when she was just a few days outdated. Kimberly was transitioning into her profession as an Early Childhood educator however determined to dedicate herself to caring for her grandchildren. Kimberly obtained her CNA license and began a non-profit group, The Shaylee Basis, which brings consciousness to foster kinship care and youngster maltreatment. Kimberly and William legally adopted their granddaughters right into a loving house a day after Williams’s birthday in August 2022 after overcoming many challenges. Just a few weeks later, they had been referred to as upon by Arapahoe County to care for his or her 15 year-old niece, who lately joined the household.

The Colorado Division of Human Providers CO4Kids marketing campaign encourages all Coloradans to strengthen households and communities. For details about easy methods to turn out to be a foster or adoptive dad or mum, go to CO4Kids.org.

Contact:
Madlynn Ruble, Deputy Director of Communications
Colorado Division of Human Providers
303-866-3411
[email protected]

SOURCE Colorado Division of Human Providers

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Related Topics:Colorado Department of Human Services Featured

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Colorado

How to prepare for a wildfire evacuation in Colorado

Published

4 hours ago

July 5, 2024

Press Room

How to prepare for a wildfire evacuation in Colorado

Preparing to evacuate because of a wildfire is now a year-round reality in Colorado, with destructive, deadly wildfires possible every month of the year, according to state officials.

Colorado’s “core wildfire season” is now 78 days longer than it was 50 years ago, according to the state Division of Fire Prevention & Control, and state forest service experts estimate nearly half of all Coloradans are at risk from wildfires.

Residents can prepare for a possible wildfire evacuation or a pre-evacuation warning by gathering important supplies and documents and making their home as fire-resistant as possible through these guidelines from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Springs Fire Department.

Supplies for wildfire emergency kit or go-bag

Three-day supply of water (1 gallon per person per day) and non-perishable food
First aid kit and sanitation supplies, including toilet paper and baby wipes
Flashlight, battery-powered radio such as a NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries
Extra set of car keys, credit cards and cash
Extra eyeglasses, contacts, prescriptions and a week’s supply of necessary medications
Important documents and phone numbers, including insurance information
Printed map with evacuation routes marked in case your phone dies
Valuables or irreplaceable items you can easily carry
Personal electronic devices and chargers
A pair of old shoes and flashlight in case of a sudden evacuation at night
Other items needed by your family, such as baby supplies, games and activities for children, pet supplies, two-way radios and a manual can opener

What to do during a wildfire pre-evacuation warning

Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice and monitor local news for updates.
Listen to your instincts. If you think you should evacuate even if you haven’t received an official notice, evacuate now.
Back your car into the garage or park it facing the direction of escape.
Put your emergency kit, important items and valuable papers inside your car.
Wear protective clothing outside, such as sturdy shoes, cotton or wool clothing, long pants and a shirt, gloves and a handkerchief over your face.
Put your pets in one room so you can find them easily if you need to evacuate.
Set up temporary housing at a friend or family member’s home outside of the evacuation area.
Close outside doors, windows and vents but leave them unlocked.
Close inside doors to prevent drafts.
Shut off natural gas or propane at the source.
Connect garden hoses to outside faucets and fill any pools, hot tubs, tubs, garbage cans or large containers with water.
Remove flammable drapes and curtains and close all shutters and blinds.
Move flammable furniture to the center of your home, away from windows and sliding glass doors.
Move flammable items outside your home, like patio furniture, children’s toys or firewood, as far from the house as possible.
Leave interior and exterior lights on so firefighters can see in smoky conditions.
Shut off the air conditioning and sprinkler system.
Disconnect automatic garage door openers so they can still be opened if the power goes out, but leave them closed.
Check on your neighbors to make sure they’re preparing to leave.

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Colorado

Fourth of July celebrations take place all over Colorado Springs

Published

12 hours ago

July 5, 2024

Press Room

Fourth of July celebrations take place all over Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – People across Colorado Springs say they love to celebrate for several reasons, some tell me they enjoy being with friends and family. Others say every fourth to them means a little bit more after their decades of service.

“I’m obviously a 20-year veteran so yes that’s why,” Colorado Springs resident Darrell Glover said. “My son and I are going to spend a little time eating and hanging out.”

Crowds of people swarmed the grounds of Vista Park in the Banning Lewis Ranch neighborhood. Celebrating Independence Day some going to the inflatable slides, some playing volleyball while others grabbed freshly made burgers.

Across town, thousands bought tickets to see the Switchbacks play and stay afterward for one of the largest fireworks shows in Colorado springs at Wiedner Field.

“It’s the best show in town and we have a wonderful time,” Annie Coffman said. “We have a wonderful country and we want to make sure that everybody knows it.”

Earlier in the day people lined the streets for an annual Fourth of July parade in monument, dressed in red white and blue waving the American flag. For some people in the springs, the Fourth of July means more than just grilling, watching fireworks and having a drink.

“I think it’s good to be around the people you love it’s just like that’s something that’s really special is a day out of the work week usually reach me around the family that you love and the country that we all care for,” Ryan Walker said.

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Colorado

Human case of plague surfaces in Colorado

Published

19 hours ago

July 4, 2024

Press Room

Human case of plague surfaces in Colorado

A human case of the plague has turned up in Colorado, health officials say.

There were no immediate details about the victim — including age, gender or condition — or how they contracted the potentially deadly infection.

It was reported in Pueblo County south of Colorado Springs, officials said.

A resident died from the plague in Archuleta County in southwest Colorado last fall — although cases are typically rare in the US, usually numbering fewer than 17 annually, health officials said.

A worrisome human case of the plague has turned up in Pueblo, Colo. Getty Images

Pueblo’s Department of Health notes that the plague was dubbed the “Black Death” during the Middle Ages. PDPHE

“In the Middle Ages, plague was labeled ‘Black Death’ as it swept through Europe killing millions of people,’’ Pueblo County’s Department of Health says on its website, referring to how the horror left many of its victims with black rotting splotches on their bodies.

“Today, improved sanitation practices and rodent control has reduced the threat,” the DOH said.

The infamous bacterial infection is frequently transferred from rodents and their fleas to humans.

Symptoms can include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes and headaches.

The disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics if caught early enough, authorities said.

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