Invest in Kids is excited to be one of 15 founding members of the Colorado Evidence-Based Policy Collaborative (the Collaborative). The Collaborative is made up of professionals from the nonprofit, private, and public sectors who are committed to evidence-based policy making. We need to educate interested lawmakers about evidence-based practices and programs. One goal of the Collaborative is to have lawmakers create a standard for their evaluation of programs when they consider funding. We know when there’s evidence of what works best, focus can be given to effective implementation and thus further improve client and community outcomes.
What does evidence-based policy making mean?
Evidence-based policy making means that the best available evidence and research is used to improve program delivery and results. Here in Colorado the Collaborative has been working to 1) unite leaders and organizations throughout the state around the goal of using research and evidence in decision-making, 2) establish and promote Colorado’s rigorous evidence standards, and 3) support county-level policy and practice in evidence building as well as program implementation.
Establishing and promoting Colorado’s rigorous evidence standards
Invest in Kids’ Executive Director, Lisa Hill, was one of two members of the Collaborative who presented to the Joint Budget Committee to lay out a set of evidence standards and a continuum of evidence developed by the Collaborative. On November 27th, 2018 Colorado’s State Legislature adopted these evidence standards that further Colorado’s commitment to ensuring that state investments are based on research and evidence, maximizing the positive changes that these investments achieve their intended results.