colorado department of human services
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SNAP benefits on their way to Colorado families
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With the government shutdown over after a vote Wednesday by the U.S. House, federal food aid, which has been delayed almost two weeks, is on its way to nearly 600,000 Coloradans. Colorado will move rapidly to deliver 100% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, according to an announcement from the Polis administration. Some Coloradans…
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Settlement funds to be used to refrigerate food banks
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The Attorney General’s Office directed $400,000 in settlement funds to the Department of Human Services to be used for food storage improvements at Colorado food banks. Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Thursday that the office will be taking the money from a recent settlement with Dollar General. The settlement occurred in October, with investigators finding…
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Colorado figured out how to load state money onto EBT cards, officials say
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Colorado officials said they figured out a way to load state funds onto the electronic cards of food stamp recipients. Officials from the Department of Human Services told Colorado Politics they had spoken “extensively” with the vendor for the Electronic Benefits Transfer card. The EBT card is called Colorado Quest. A legislative Joint Budget Committee…
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Colorado SNAP reductions: Food stamp benefits to return to pre-pandemic levels after February
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Additional food stamp benefits intended to help people endure economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic are ending next month nationwide, and El Paso County Department of Human Services is warning recipients to prepare for fewer dollars’ worth of assistance, at a time when grocery prices continue to rise. While inflation pushed overall prices to increase…
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Child-protective worker, Robin Niceta, failed to follow state regulations: Audit
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A state audit concluded Robin Niceta’s child-protective work for the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services failed to follow state regulations and had deficient investigative practices. The audit recommended further investigation into the county’s oversight and supervision of its child-protective staff. Robin Niceta Seven complaints about Niceta’s performance and conduct “have been referred” for additional…
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Colorado to improve food stamp customer service with $500,000 federal grant
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The Colorado Department of Human Services was awarded $517,961 on Thursday to improve efficiency in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides monthly benefits to help low-income households purchase food. With this grant, Colorado plans to build an interactive voice response system that SNAP customers can talk…
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Colorado names new head of Office of Behavioral Health
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The Colorado Department of Human Services announced Monday that Leora Joseph has been named director of the Office of Behavioral Health. The office was reconfigured after the legislature set up a new Behavioral Health Administration, which went into effect July 1. Previously, the OBH had oversight over community behavioral health services, including the Community Mental…
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Colorado’s pediatric mental health crisis continues, professionals say
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A year after Children’s Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency for pediatric mental health on May 25, 2021, officials say the situation has worsened, as record demand for treatment continues to overwhelm capacity. “The number of children who are coming to us for emergency department care who are in crisis is higher, and our…
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Lawmakers seek audit of community mental health centers
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The Legislative Audit Committee authorized the state auditor to draft a bill that would investigate 17 nonprofit community mental health centers that were granted “non-compete contracts and a privileged rate status for nearly 60 years, without meaningful oversight.” The audit was requested in January by Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Aurora and Colin Larson, R-Littleton, and…
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Robert Werthwein to step down from state Office of Behavioral Health
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Robert Werthwein, the director of the state’s Office of Behavioral Health since Sept. 2017, will resign at the end of February next year, he announced in an email Tuesday. Axios Denver, which first reported his resignation, said he did not cite a reason for his resignation, only that he intended to pursue other opportunities. A spokesperson…
