Funding for Prevention Services Programs Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is not provided in the official metadata, though transfers are scheduled for July 1, 2026.

HB26-1349: Funding Transfer for Nurse Home Visiting and Child Abuse Prevention

This law moves $5.1 million each year from the nurse home visitor program fund to a child abuse prevention trust fund, extends the life of that trust fund indefinitely, and requires a report on how these changes affect federal funding.

What This Bill Does

• Requires moving $5.1 million annually from the nurse home visitor program fund to the Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund starting July 1, 2026, through July 1, 2029.
• Extends the existence of the Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund and its board indefinitely instead of letting them end on July 1, 2027.
• Allows money in the trust fund to be used for programs eligible for federal reimbursement under the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018.
• Adjusts state budget appropriations for fiscal year 2026-27 by shifting $5.1 million between general funds and specific program funds.
• Requires the Department of Early Childhood to report on the effects of these transfers, including any new federal money received, by November 1, 2029.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Colorado Department of Early Childhood
• The state treasurer who manages fund transfers
• The Colorado child abuse prevention board within the department
• Entities that receive grants to run nurse home visiting or child abuse prevention programs

Terms To Know

Nurse Home Visitor Program Fund

A state fund used for in-home nursing services for low-income first-time mothers, partly funded by the master tobacco settlement agreement.

Colorado Child Abuse Prevention Trust Fund

A dedicated account that holds money specifically for programs designed to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018

A federal law that allows states to receive reimbursement money for certain prevention services identified in a national clearinghouse.

Limits and Unknowns

• The actual amount of additional federal reimbursement money received depends on future program activities and is not specified.
• Future annual appropriations by the General Assembly are still required to release funds from these accounts for use.
• The specific details of how the Department will calculate or report the effects in 2029 are not defined.

Official Summary Text

The existing nurse home visitor program (program) provides regular in-home visiting nurse services to low-income first-time mothers during their pregnancies and through their children's second birthday. The nurse home visitor program fund (fund) is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department of early childhood (department) for grants to entities for operation of the program. Among other revenue sources, the fund consists of money received pursuant to the master tobacco settlement agreement. The act requires the state treasurer, on July 1, 2026, and on each July 1 thereafter through July 1, 2029, to transfer $5.1 million from the fund to the Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund (trust fund).
Funds from the trust fund are subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the Colorado child abuse prevention board (board) within the department for child abuse prevention programs. These prevention services are eligible for reimbursement money received for prevention services and programs identified in the federal Title IV-E prevention services clearinghouse pursuant to the federal 'Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018' (federal reimbursement money received for prevention services and programs). The trust fund and the board are scheduled to repeal on July 1, 2027. The act continues the trust fund and board indefinitely.
The act requires the department, on or before November 1, 2029, to report to the joint budget committee on the effect of the transfers from the fund to the trust fund, including an accounting of any additional federal reimbursement money received for prevention services and programs.
For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, the act increases an appropriation for home visiting from the general fund to the department by $5.1 million and decreases by a corresponding amount an appropriation for home visiting to the department from the fund. For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, the act increases an appropriation for child maltreatment prevention from the Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund to the department by $5.1 million and decreases by a corresponding amount an appropriation to the department from the general fund.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)