Nichole Wallace, MD, associate professor, Section of Child Abuse and Neglect (The Kempe Center), was initially awarded $83K from Colorado Department of Human Services for a partial year and program development for her project titled “KIDS PLUS.” The program will receive an additional $200K this year and is anticipated to be renewed for 2026. Also collaborating on the project are Laurel Niep, LCSW, (Department of Psychiatry) and Ron Mitchell, MSW, director of operations at the Kempe Center.
Overview: The program – KIDS PLUS (Permanency, Love, Unity, Stability) – will run through The Kempe Center in partnership with court appointed special advocates agencies and provide free service to Colorado counties. It will identify and develop appropriate Kin* supports for permanent placements and/or relationships and enhance connectedness to communities and cultures for youth whose cases are highly complex and who have remained in the child welfare system without achieving permanency.
The KIDS (Kempe Inter-Disciplinary Staffing) program provides independent, expert consultation services for highly complex cases involving concerns about child abuse and neglect or child health and well-being. Service navigation will be provided, the plan will be monitored weekly, and follow up KIDS consultations will be held when a case is not progressing as expected and the plans will be revised as needed. Reports generated from the KIDS Panel will be made available to assist the caseworker in permanency staffings and court appearances related to permanency efforts for the youth. Learn more about KIDS at https://kempecenter.org/impact-areas/clinical-services/kids-program/.
*The term “Kin” in program refers to anyone with a “family like” relationship which may or may not be biologically related.
