Colorado PEAK Outreach Initiative

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

Colorado currently ranks among the lowest states in the nation for participation in programs providing health coverage and food assistance, and a recent study has shown that Colorado has the fastest-growing poverty rate in the nation. The State currently ranks 28th in the country for child poverty, 30th for percentage of overall population living below the federal poverty level, 48th for food stamp collection, and 48th for children’s health coverage. There are currently more than 100,000 people in Colorado who are eligible for health and human service benefits, but are not enrolled and therefore not receiving any of the health, food, financial, or other assistance that they may require in order to help them stabilize their lives. In response to these pressing issues, the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services spearheaded the creation of the Colorado Program Eligibility and Application Kit (PEAK) Outreach Initiative. PEAK is a two-year project designed to create and disseminate a toolkit and training to counties and community-based organizations across the state in preparation for the 2011 launch of PEAK Phase II, which includes the online application. The toolkit and accompanying training will support community-based partners in their use of Colorado PEAK to screen and enroll individuals and families in the full spectrum of health and human service programs for which they are eligible. Within Boulder County, services are made available to all county residents. Approximately 85,000 people are currently living below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and are likely to become eligible for a vast array of health and human services. Statewide, these numbers are even larger – it is estimated that more than 1,015,950 Coloradoans live below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Line, with 362,260 of these people living below 250 percent.