Recent Models Indicate Infections Decreasing

Page 8 Lost Creek Guide January 6, 2021

2021 – Another Adventure in Time Latest Model Indicates

By Daryl L. Meyers Another year will soon begin; another opportunity to tell the story of the human experience on planet earth. The unknown is just ahead … a new adventure into the unexpected and unexplored. The terrain is unfamiliar and conditions could be far from ideal. To retreat to the comfortable and familiar is not an option. Movement forward is the only choice we have. As with years past, this year too is wrapped in mystery. What it will bring will largely be determined by our choices rather than some preordained or predestined outcomes. Some have suggested this might be a year of transition, of dramatic change for the human race, a time of trouble as some theologies predict. Visionaries from ancient times and indigenous peoples from traditions and cultures around the world share a similar view … warning of events just ahead that could be of a magnitude beyond our ability to anticipate much less prepare for. Regardless of what lies ahead, our world, our civilization, has definitely reached a crossroads in the way we live and relate to each another. Wonderful opportunities for us and our children are within our reach if we make the right choices, but if we continue moving in the direction we are now, life as we know it on planet earth will be unsustainable. Throughout the New Year, we are once again given the opportunity to move forward beyond the chaos and confusion around us, to push beyond the boundaries that separate us, to create a new and better world, a world of compassion and peace, a world that respects the rights of all people and gives equal opportunities to all. This is the world our children and our children’s children deserve. Are we willing to move beyond our differences providing them with a better future? The days ahead and how they unfold are unknown, but they may have more to do with us and the decisions we make than we realize. We can make a difference … if we choose to. Infections are Decreasing REMOTE, (Dec. 18, 2020): The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado School of Public Health released an updated statewide modeling report and updated regional models showing that public health protocols before the Thanksgiving holiday have helped to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2. Transmission control of the virus improved across the state in recent weeks; hospital demand and cases have declined, but it will be weeks before both reach lower levels. “The steady downward trend in Colorado is not what is being seen across the country. Colorado’s trend is much better than most states. Coloradans’ actions and Colorado policies made a difference and prevented a substantial Thanksgiving surge and have led to the declines we are seeing now,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, CDPHE. The latest modeling provides projections based on COVID-19 hospital census data through December 14, 2020. “There are still more Coloradans in the hospital than at the April peak and contacts remain very risky,” said Jonathan Samet, MD, MS, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health. “This declining trajectory of the epidemic could be reversed by holiday lapses if Coloradans don’t remain vigilant in wearing masks, limiting contact with others outside of their households, and maintaining distance in public spaces.” The models are based on Colorado data and assumptions based on the current state of the science. “We can’t let up now. Hope is on the horizon with the vaccine. We need to make it through the holidays with the level of diligence we had over Thanksgiving. Please only celebrate inperson with the people who live with you,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director, CDPHE. “The best gift we can all receive is a healthy holiday season.” Key findings from the reports: Transmission control continues to improve and is now at 82%, but December holidays are ahead. PUBLIC NOTICE There is no evidence of a Thanksgiving bump, up to 18 days after the holiday. The effective reproductive number is below 1, meaning that the epidemic is declining, but infection prevalence remains dangerously high. An estimated 1 in 59 Coloradans is currently Northern Colorado Communications, LLC Statement of Nondiscrimination infectious. Infections are decreasing or flat in most LPHA regions (Local Public Health Agencies) across the state. The estimated effective reproductive number varies from 0.6 to 1.2. Infections are

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in spreading most rapidly in the East Central region and continue to increase in the Northwest or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national LPHA region. Infection prevalence remains high in most regions. origin, religion, sex gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, At the current level of transmission control, hospital demand and cases will continue to demarital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, cline, but it will be weeks before hospital demand and infection prevalence reach low levels, for or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by example as low as during the summer. This declining trajectory could be reversed by holiday the USDA (not all baes apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program lapses. Potential peaks are lower than projected previously.or incident. The Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH) assembled the expert group that works

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information with the state on modeling projections. The group includes modeling scientists at the Colorado(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible SPH and the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus,

Agency of USDA’s TARGET Center at 202‐720‐2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal as well as experts from the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, and

Relay Service at 1‐800‐877‐8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages Colorado State University. other than English. All previous modeling reports are available on the Colorado School of Public Health’s COVID-19 website.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complain Form, AD‐3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the The state will continue to review data and model findings as the pandemic continues to in form policy decisions. Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov. form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 1‐866‐632‐9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA within 180 days by: Waterfowl Hunters Urged to be Especially 1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Careful On, Near Water 1400 Independence Ave, SW Washington, D.C. 20250‐9410; DENVER, Colo. – With waterfowl hunting season in full swing, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is urging hunters to always handle guns safely and be careful in all situations. Waterfowl hunt2) Fax: 202‐690‐7442; or ers who use watercraft must be especially careful. The tragic drowning of a young hunter in November served as an unfortunate reminder 3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov to be extra cautious on the water. Hunters using boats should always wear a personal

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. floatation device and pay close attention to the weather. Winds in Colorado, powerful enough to capsize a boat, can come up at any Northern Colorado Communications, LLC LIFELINE SERVICE AND UNIVERSAL SERVICES Colorado time. Waterfowl hunters are always dressed for the cold; so getting knocked into the wa------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ter makes swimming extremely difficult and

Lifeline Service is a federally funding program designed to make basic telephone service available at reduced rates to eligible residential customers. Customer’s eligibility to receive the discount must be renewed periodically. The program is hypothermia can set in within a few minutes. limited to one benefit per household, consisting of either wireline or wireless service. Without a PFD, getting back to shore could be

Who Qualifies? You are eligible for Lifeline Service if your annual household income is at or below 135% of the federal impossible. poverty guidelines, or in your household resides a person who receives or has a child who receives benefits from at least one “Water temperatures are very cold during waterfowl season, making cold-water immersion of the following programs: a serious concern,” said Travis Long, hunter education coordinator for CPW. “We strongly rec-

Medical Assistance (Medicaid) ommend wearing your life jacket whenever you’re on the water, especially when out on paddle

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (SNAP) craft like canoes and kayaks. Life jackets and an emergency whistle are required on every ves-

Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) sel.”

National School Lunch Program (only applicant or customer Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) who satisfy the income standard of the program for free meals) Besides being careful in a boat, hunters must always practice basic firearm safety skills: keep

Health benefits coverage under the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) the safety on and your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot; load and unload your

An eligible customer residing in tribal lands Bureau of Indian Affairs general assistance Tribally administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) gun well away from others; never point the muzzle of a gun in the direction of another person; be aware of the locations of your hunting partners; and always be sure of your target before

Head Start (only those households meeting its income qualifying standard) pulling the trigger.

Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Children under 17 years of age with no health insurance “Hunters must always review and focus on firearms safety,” Long said. “Remember, one mo-

Other eligible programs may apply ment of carelessness with a firearm can have a lifetime of consequences.”

Information about customers who qualify for Lifeline Service may be shared between state agencies and Northern Colorado The waterfowl seasons continue through mid-February.

Communications, customers. LLC. Lifeline customers can also subscribe to optional services at the same rate offered to other Waterfowl hunters are also reminded that motorized craft, including those powered by small electric motors, are not allowed on most lakes or reservoirs because Aquatic Nuisance

What Universal Services are ava Colorado Communications, LLC. ilable to all customers? Universal services are offered to all customers of Universal Services available include the following services: Northern Species inspections have ended for this year.

Voice grade access to the public switched network or its functional equivalent Surprisingly, because of the sunny days, recreational paddlers are still going out on lakes

Minutes of use for Local service Access to emergency services to the extent the local government Toll limitation for qualifying low-income consumers has implemented 911 or enhanced 911 systems and reservoirs. The cold weather and cold water present major hazards for those using any paddle-craft. Regular boaters in most locations have stopped going on the water and there are,

Local Calling for Residential Service is $10.55 - $16.00 and Business Service is $15.90 - $23.30 essentially, no safety patrols occurring. Anyone who falls in the water is unlikely to be seen or

Ability to report service problems seven days a week rescued. All paddlers must be constantly aware of weather conditions and wearing of PFDs is

How do Telephone Customers and Applicants for Telephone Service Apply for Lifeline Program? mandatory.

Applicants can come into our office and pick up a certification form or call 970-483-7300 and request that one be mailed to To learn about hunter education classes, firearms safety or boating safety, go to the Colorado you. Parks and Wildlife web site at, cpw.state.co.us.

GERALD D. JOHNSON

Gerald D. Johnson, 79, passed away on Nov 20, 2020. He was born October 4, 1941, in Buena Vista, Colorado to Harold (Buck) & Myrtle (Vix) Johnson.

Gerald married Karen K. Hamilton on June 2, 1962 in Arvada Colorado. Prior to moving to the Wiggins, the Johnson family lived in Orchard, CO, Las Vegas Nevada, Arvada CO (great memories there), Hudson, CO. Prior to retirement, Gerald was a diesel truck mechanic- he loved working on engines. A very simple man, Gerald enjoyed tinkering with metal, working in his garage, and spending time with his family, especially doing outdoor activities- hunting and fishing and on his computer searching ancestry and writing stories. His favorite time was spent with his wife Karen, two sons and their wives, with his grandkids, great grandkids- any family event with his brothers and sisters. Gerald was a man of God and very well versed in his bible. Gerald is survived by his loving wife, Karen; 2 sons, Jerry (Robin) of Wiggins and Travis (Robin) of Orchard, CO; 1 brother, Larry (Liz) Johnson of Briggsdale, CO; 2 sisters, Sunny Johnson and Melody Anderson both of Briggsdale, CO; 5 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by 2 brothers, Harold and Lanny, his sister-in-law Liz; and his parents Buck and Myrtle.

A celebration of Gerald’s life will be held when the current pandemic events settle down. The Heer Mortuaries & Crematory are entrusted with the cremation arrangements. Any who wish to make memorial gift donations, please do so in memory of Gerald to St Judes, please help children fight cancer.

How Gerald wanted remembered: I am very happy- I have no regrets, and I have the loving family I dreamed of as a child. There is no secret to a happy marriage, and there is no magic formula to make it work. Love and respect are the first of many things it takes to stay happily married! The best advice I ever received was “BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED”. Karen has been the biggest influence in my life. Her love is never ending and all she asks in return is my love. Karen has always been happy with the things I have been able to give her. Without her, I would not be happy, and probably would have never come to know The Lord. I want to be remembered as a good husband, father, and grandfather, great grandfatther, and as a good person. I want to be remembered as a good relative and friend. I also want to be remembered as knowing The Lord. I do not want to be remembered by any of the wrong things I’ve done.”

Weld County Road 49 to be Designated as HazMat Route Weld County, CO

A petition to allow gasoline, diesel fuel, petroleum gas and crude oil to be transported on Weld County Road (WCR) 49 between Interstate 76 and U.S. 34 was recently approved by the Colorado State Patrol to advance the proposed state statute modifications for hazmat transportation rules. The next step is the rulemaking hearing, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, with the new route designation becoming effective on April 1, 2021. “Designating WCR 49 as a state hazmat route is a great step forward from a safety and efficiency standpoint,” Weld County Commissioner Chair Mike Freeman said. “We constructed WCR 49 to safely accommodate multiple industries, and now the energy industry will have an alternate corridor to transport fuels throughout our county, which will also relieve congestion on Highway 85, improving our regional transportation system.” The Weld County Board of Commissioners along with the Weld County Department of Public Works, compiled the necessary application information to the state for approval. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Title 42, Article 20 of the Colorado Revised Statutes governs the routing of hazardous materials by motor vehicles on all public roads in Colorado. To be considered a hazmat route, a road must to meet several criteria related to feasibility, practicality, and the ability of the roadway to move goods from one jurisdiction to another. The road is also graded on several safety requirements which shows it provides greater safety to the public then other roads. Some of the statistics used to measure safety include traffic, crash and fatality rates, the overall condition of the road and more. Virtual public meetings were conducted on December 1 and December 5 to solicit public feedback on Weld County’s petition. Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer and representatives from the Weld County Department of Public Works presented Weld County’s application and were on hand to hear any feedback or answer any questions or address any opposition. Beyond just approving the application, the Colorado State Patrol also credited Weld County on the depth, quality and work that went into its application. “I would like to once again thank you for what was frankly a petition that was very well done,” Colorado State Patrol Captain John Hahn said in an email. “The document itself is one that will, moving forward, serve as an example to future entities wishing to petition CSP for routing designation or changes.” To learn more about Colorado’s Hazardous Material routing, visit https://www.codot.gov/ business/hazmat-routing. More information on the Weld County Department of Public Works, visit https://www.weldgov.com/departments/public_works.

LEROY ROBERT MONSEES

LeRoy Robert Monsees was born in Brighton, Colorado on June 10, 1944 to Roy and Lucille (Freitag) Monsees. It pleased the Lord to call him to his heavenly home on December 25, 2020.

LeRoy’s family moved to Hudson, CO in 1955. He graduated from Weld Central High School in 1962. In 1969 he began his long and legendary career in custom meat processing when he ventured into his first business at Hudson Lockers until 1980. in 1982 he moved to Wiggins and continued his career in custom meat processing with the purchase of Your Choice Meats. He remained in the business until his retirement. LeRoy was a devoted husband, uncle, and friend. He cherished time spent with his family. He was especially close to his nieces and nephews, and his great nieces and nephews. They are ‘his kids’. He loved traveling and held a special place in his heart for the Black Hills of South Dakota. He loved flower gardening and yard care. He is survived by his soul mate and beloved wife, Pam of 43 years. His ‘kids’, Jody Shipman and Brandon Harmon families, Diane Powell and Dave Monsees families, Marie Foose and Irene Tollman families, and many more nieces and nephews that were precious to him.

LeRoy was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Fort Morgan and served as treasurer for many years.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, January 4th, 2021 at 10:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Morgan. Interment will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Fort Morgan.

CO 52 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) & Access Control Plan (ACP)

About the Project

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is conducting a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study and Access Control Plan (ACP) for the state highway CO 52 corridor. This project will provide a long-term vision for the corridor by prioritizing projects and identifying funding for transportation improvement projects.

In recent years, traffic congestion along CO 52 has increased dramatically. The communities along the corridor utilize CO 52 to commute to business and industry centers. Changes in land use are causing the average daily traffic (ADT) to increase to a level that is straining the existing infrastructure along the corridor. CDOT is interested in a comprehensive document that creates a long-range plan to address corridor limitations with an emphasis on stakeholder involvement.

The project limits extend 41.6 miles (MP 0 to MP 42) along CO 52, from CO 119 north of Boulder in Boulder County to CO 79 east of Hudson in Weld County. CO 52 interchanges with I-25, US 85, and I-76 in Weld County. CO 52 is a major east – west connection corridor for the region, which is experiencing an increase in residential and commercial development. The corridor provides critical access from residential and rural areas to business centers, as well as commercial freight from industrial centers along the corridor.

Page 10 Lost Creek Guide January 6, 2021

New programs aim to house Colorado foster youth who end up homeless

More than a third of the 200 kids who age out of foster care each year in Colorado end up without shelter. New programs help anchor young adults with housing and even savings accounts.

by Jennifer Brown, The Colorado Sun

Olivia Potter spent her high school years in foster care, then set off on her own at 18.

She drifted from a short stint at her dad’s house in Montrose, where his one last chance to show her he was “a good human being” fell short, to a boyfriend’s college dorm room in Grand Junction. When her relationship with that boyfriend blew up, Potter found her way back to Montrose and into a bedroom in the home of a friend’s parents.

She had no long-term plan, no savings, no parent who offered her gas money or advice on whether to go to college or how to find an apartment.

More than 200 young people each year leave foster care in Colorado without ever getting adopted, returned to their parents or sent to live with relatives. They move directly from a foster home or group home to adulthood. More than a third of them end up homeless, according to a survey that checks in when they turn 19 and again at 21.

As the statistics remain dire every year, Colorado is responding with new housing voucher programs and new apartments built specifically for youth who have aged out of the foster system.

The latest efforts to break the cycle of homelessness, public assistance and involvement in the child welfare system are happening in Arapahoe and Jefferson counties, plus Denver, Montrose and Delta.

For Potter, 19, the call that came a few months ago was like an anchor that kept her from drifting to another friend’s extra bedroom, another couch.

The local CASA office in Montrose County, where Potter was first assigned a “court appointed special advocate” when she entered foster care at age 13, said there was an apartment available for her. Potter received a housing voucher specifically for young people who had grown up in the foster care system and moved into one of two four-plex housing units owned by the nonprofit.

“There is tons of space and the kitchen is gorgeous,” Potter said, adding that she could not afford an apartment in Montrose on her own. “There is heating and cooling upstairs and downstairs.”

Potter cleans homes through a home health agency and is starting classes in January to become a certified nursing assistant. She pays $270 per month in rent, and through a program funded by an anonymous Colorado benefactor, every rent check she pays is matched with a deposit into an investment account in her name.

In a few years, she hopes to use the money to pay off her student loans or make a down payment on a house.

“When you’re on your own, it’s really overwhelming,” Potter said. “I have good friends around myself, and their parents. Aside from that, you’re just on your own.”

New program helps foster youth build up savings

The Montrose four-plexes, which opened in February 2018, were the first supportive housing project in Colorado for 18- to 24-year-olds who had been in foster care or were at risk of becoming homeless. They’re appropriately named “1st Place.” The eight units, funded by various state and local foundations, can house up to 12 people.

The year the duplexes were built, the area had 10 foster teens “emancipate” from the system — six were homeless or couch-surfing, four “we cannot locate,” the CASA office said then.

Three years later, the county CASA office is spearheading another housing project for former foster youth, this one a $1.2 million project with six units in nearby Delta. Plans are to break ground in February and finish by August, said Carlton Mason, chief executive of CASA of the 7th Judicial District.

It wasn’t hard to convince folks in the rural county that donating to a second housing unit was a worthy cause — six individual donors gave about $50,000 each.

“I think all of us understand inherently that an 18-year-old is not ready to live independently without parent support,” Mason said. “It wasn’t a hard sell.”

Along with the publicly funded housing, Mason wanted to provide hope that former foster youth had a chance to catch up to their peers who are supported financially by their parents well into their 20s.

“How do we solve the bigger issue of hope, purpose, future?” he asked, saying that he fears that putting a kid in public housing at 18 could lead to them “holding out no hope other than the minimal help that the government can provide.”

That’s where the “FLEX” program originated. Through a grant from a Colorado foundation that wants to remain anonymous, former foster youth who pay at least a portion of their own rent — including Potter in Montrose – get a matching account in an investment account. There are stipulations on spending the money, which must go toward assets, education or entrepreneurship.

For now, the pilot program is helping about 30 young adults, mainly in Montrose and Jefferson counties. It’s expanding soon to Arapahoe County, and Mason is talking to state lawmakers about turning it into a statewide program.

We’re recognizing that it’s becoming a crisis with a higher degree of urgency.

Carlton Mason, CASA of the 7th Judicial District

State child welfare officials, meanwhile, are working on legislation that would allow foster youth who’ve emancipated to return to the system. The proposal aims to let those aged-out youth maintain their autonomy but still access help with housing and other resources.

And in Broomfield, a nonprofit called Anchor House broke ground in July on an eightapartment complex for foster teens who’ve emancipated from the system. The housing project, developed by the Lutheran Church of Hope and Lutheran Family Services, is expected to open in May.

Despite the new initiatives aimed at helping the specific population of former foster youth, Colorado is nowhere near to solving the problem, Mason said. It’s only beginning to recognize it.

“We’re recognizing that it’s becoming a crisis with a higher degree of urgency,” he said.

Dozens of Colorado foster teens go missing, become homeless each year

In 2019, 211 foster youth aged out of foster care in Colorado, according to the state Department of Human Services. In addition, 61 left the system because they ran away. Another 70 entered the custody of a jail or youth corrections center.

The numbers for 2020 aren’t any better. By September of this year, under the latest count available, 133 young people had left the state child welfare system because they aged out. An additional 47 ran away and 53 entered jail.

Another dismal statistic that isn’t improving: More than a third of foster youth who emancipate from the system in Colorado are homeless at age 21, according to the National Youth in Transition survey.

A new federal housing voucher program specifically targets this group of young people. It’s called the Foster Youth to Independence program, or an “FYI” voucher for short, and it’s beginning to take off in multiple Colorado communities.

Jefferson County’s housing authority, Foothills Regional Housing, placed its first former foster youth with the voucher in November 2019, and beginning in February, the Littleton authority will begin using the vouchers for teens and young adults aging out of foster care in Arapahoe County.

Meanwhile, Mile High United Way is working to set up a similar partnership to use the voucher through the Denver Housing Authority.

The new program is unique because it’s localized — it’s meant to work best as a streamlined partnership between a local housing authority, child welfare officials and nonprofits that aim to help foster youths transition to adulthood without the financial or emotional support of a family. Colorado for years has used a statewide voucher program, administered through Mile High United Way, that is for young people who spent at least one day in foster care at age 16 or older.

Under the localized voucher program, child welfare workers and volunteers identify young people who are at risk of becoming homeless when they leave their final foster placement. They contact the local housing authority to secure a voucher, as well as help the youth find an apartment that accepts the voucher.

Adults who work with foster teens, mainly through local Chafee Foster Care Independent Living programs, will help young people find everything from beds to pots and pans for their new apartment.

Powers Circle Apartments in Littleton is owned by South Metro Housing Options, the housing authority for Littleton. Former foster youth will soon get vouchers to live in the building or other Littleton apartments that accept the voucher. (Provided by South Metro Housing Options)

Jefferson County has housed 27 young people through the program in the last year and has nine more whose applications are in process. A new development near the Arvada Gold Line light rail station will house 30 additional young people, said Kristen Gines, chief people officer for Foothills Regional Housing.

The Littleton program, through South Metro Housing Options, plans to provide 24 vouchers — and expects to fill them quickly. Young people must have left foster care within 90 days and must be between the ages of 18 and 24. A voucher lasts for up to three years.

Corey Reitz, executive director of South Metro Housing Options, recalled reading a July 2019 notice from the federal HUD administration announcing the program. The Littleton housing authority works with families, seniors and people with disabilities, but had never helped young people exiting foster care.

Reitz also recalled looking up statistics about the grim outcomes for young people leaving the system without family support and knew immediately that he wanted to help. “After a very short amount of research, I found out how many potentially negative outcomes are for these folks.”

Shiloh House, which has seven residential treatment centers for foster youth across the state, will help find young people to use the Littleton vouchers. The nonprofit also runs various programs that provide parenting skills to families who’ve been reported to child welfare officials and that help young people learn self-sufficiency skills before aging out of the system.

The agency also plans to work with landlords in Arapahoe County to persuade them to accept the foster youth vouchers, “helping them understand, yes, there is a risk, but we are not just throwing these kids in there and saying, ‘Good luck,’” said Molly Ramirez, Shiloh’s deputy chief executive officer.

Ramirez said she has noticed in the last few years that Colorado officials and nonprofits are putting more emphasis on helping young people who age out.

“These kids have nowhere to go and no support,” she said. “A lot of people have a heart for these kids. They just need someone to walk alongside them and teach them the things that, unfortunately, their parents weren’t able to.” 1st Place in Montrose houses former foster youth who have aged out of the system. In Colorado last year, 211 young adults aged out of foster placements to live on their own. (Provided by CASA of the 7th Judicial District)

If Colorado fails to help aged-out youth transition to adulthood, Ramirez said, “we are going to unfortunately see them back in the system, but as the parent and not as the kid.”

Besides the new “Foster Youth to Independence” vouchers, Colorado also has about 135 young people across the state using another federal housing program, called the “Family Unification Program.”

A housing authority that administers the family unification voucher cannot also use HUD’s newer “Foster Youth to Independence” voucher, said Brittany Wade, program manager for the “Bridging the Gap” foster youth program at Mile High United Way. That’s why the agency is hoping the Denver Housing Authority will start distributing the new voucher program for Denver foster teens who age out of the system.

Until we can start ensuring that young people aren’t going to spend any time homeless, with a solid ‘this-is-where-I’m-going-from-foster-care-plan,’ it’s still going to be a pervasive problem of young people falling through the cracks.

Brittany Wade, Mile High United Way

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the older voucher program has been frozen. Colorado hasn’t added any more young people to the program in months, despite a steady flow of requests from youth who are homeless and reach out to Mile High United Way for help.

The new localized voucher programs and housing projects specifically for foster youth are an encouraging sign, but not nearly enough to break the cycle, Wade said.

“Until we can start ensuring that young people aren’t going to spend any time homeless, with a solid ‘this-is-where-I’m-going-from-foster-care-plan,’” Wade said, “it’s still going to be a pervasive problem of young people falling through the cracks.”