Our Denver Human Services team offers support for parents to help strengthen families and communities. These include our Fatherhood Program, Denver Parent Advocates Lending Support (DPALs), and additional support for parents. Our programs provide personal support, mentorship and empowerment. Learn more by exploring the sections on this page.
DPALS supports families who have an open case with the Denver Human Services (DHS) Child Welfare Division. We connect families with parent partners to help them navigate the child welfare system. Parent partners play a neutral, but supportive role in helping families to successfully move through the process. This helps create safe, stable, and nurturing environments for their children.
Through peer-to-peer support, participating families receive:
- Encouragement
- Navigation assistance
- Referrals to other services and resources
Upcoming Workshops
Our DHS and DPALS teams lead several workshops and trainings throughout the year:
Strengthening Families: Protective Factors Training
About the Protective Factors Training
Protective factors are the strengths and resources families can draw on when life gets difficult. Taking those good characteristics and building on them is a proven way to strengthen the entire family.
Who should attend?
These evidence-based trainings are for parents, kinship providers, prevention and foster care providers, and community partners.
Topics
During this training, you will learn about:
- Protective factors to strengthen families
- Ways to help families build protective factors
- Tools to use protective factors in your work
- How to use protective factors in your parenting
Register
Participants will receive a certificate of completion for each two-hour training at the end of the series. All sessions are held virtually on Microsoft Teams.
To register, or for more information, email Jessica Kudlock.
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Workshop
About the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Workshop
WRAP is an evidence-based wellness program for anyone interested in improving their health and well-being. It's about what people can do for themselves and how they can build and maintain support from others to improve their overall health. You can use WRAP to manage stress and a range of health conditions and challenges.
Who should attend?
These evidence-based trainings are for parents, kinship providers, prevention and foster care providers.
Topics
- Developing a Wellness Toolbox (a list of resources to use to keep yourself well)
- How to develop a daily plan for keeping yourself well
- Creating action plans for when things aren't going your way, you're starting to feel unwell, or you need some extra support
- Developing plans for what to do in a crisis
- All sessions include one hours of self-care/WRAP Mindfulness
Register
Participants must be able to attend all six sessions to join this workshop. All sessions are held virtually on Microsoft Teams.
To register, or for more information, email Jessica Kudlock.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will my DPALS parent partner support me?
DPALS parent partners support families by:
- Helping them navigate through the child welfare system
- Promoting birth parents’ involvement in case planning activities
- Maintaining connections between parents and children
- Assisting in the goal of reunification, and/or the planning for appropriate alternatives
- Joining families at court hearings, treatment, recovery, meetings, and other gatherings
- Facilitating trainings
- Connecting families with resources through Denver Human Services, as well as other community agencies
Who are the parent partners?
The DPALS team has two full-time, paid parent partners.
These parent partners have “been there." In other words, they have done the hard work to change their lives and strengthen their families. Drawing on their own experiences, they support, encourage, and advocate for parents who are working to make changes to meet their children’s needs.
I am a DPALS alumni. How can I volunteer?
If you have been through the DPALS program and want to give back, you can take part in our volunteer service program - called DPALS Alumni. DPALS Alumni meet with DHS staff every month. During these meetings, DPALS Alumni provide feedback about how to make the DPALS program work better and run more smoothly.
Do you want to take part? Email Jessica Kudlock.
I want to be a volunteer parent partner. How can I volunteer?
DPALS is always looking for parents who can offer peer-to-peer support to families who are new to the child welfare system. If you’d like to learn more about volunteering as a parent partner, email Jessica Kudlock.
Get Started
If you would like to request a DPALS parent partner, email Jessica Kudlock.
Language and Disability Access
It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please email DHSADASupport@denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.
Thanks for visiting. The Fatherhood Program is currently on pause. We know how important this program is for fathers, so we’re hopeful it will resume in the near future. Please check back in early 2026 for updates.
In the meantime, here are some other parenting resources that may be helpful:
Circle of Fathers - Dad Support Groups
Circle of Fathers - Dad Support Groups
Join other parents and caregivers in our community to support one another, share tips, advice, or just talk. This is a confidential, friendly and safe space to vent, cry, laugh, joke and find out how other parents are navigating the parenting world.
When & Where
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Blair Caldwell African American Research Library (2401 Welton St, Denver, CO 80205)
Contact
Bonnie-Jean Jenkins
Email: bonniejean.jenkins@denvergov.org
Or, call: 720-392-6201
Download the flyer(PDF, 1MB)
Family Law Open Forums - Free Legal Clinics
Family Law Open Forums are free legal clinics that are open to the public. During these monthly, online forums, we'll cover the why and how of going to court. We'll also offer tips on how you can get things done right and legally.
Visit the event page to learn more:
Family Law Open Forums
Child Support Services
Denver Child Support Services works with you to identify resources that can address barriers to paying child support. Learn more:
Child Support Services
Questions? Email: DHSFatherhood@denvergov.org
Our Parenthood program is here to support parents with meeting their obligation and problem solving. The program is free, and is open to everyone. You may find it more helpful if you are involved with our Child Welfare or Child Support programs, or in need of other supportive services. However, you don't have to be an existing Denver Human Services customer to take part.
Through our parenting classes, we offer free information, classes, and support groups. These address parenthood-related topics for all genders, including:
- Managing anger and resolving conflict
- Discipline without violence
- Teamwork with spouse/partner
- Balancing work and fathering
- Communication and problem-solving
To sign up for our next Parenting class, call (720) 944-1323 or email REPParenthood@denvergov.org
More Resources
Circle of Fathers - Dad Support Groups
Circle of Fathers - Dad Support Groups
Join other parents and caregivers in our community to support one another, share tips, advice, or just talk. This is a confidential, friendly and safe space to vent, cry, laugh, joke and find out how other parents are navigating the parenting world.
When & Where
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Blair Caldwell African American Research Library (2401 Welton St, Denver, CO 80205)
Contact
Bonnie-Jean Jenkins
Email: bonniejean.jenkins@denvergov.org
Or, call: 720-392-6201
Download the flyer(PDF, 1MB)
Family Law Open Forums - Free Legal Clinics
Family Law Open Forums are free legal clinics that are open to the public. During these monthly, online forums, we'll cover the why and how of going to court. We'll also offer tips on how you can get things done right and legally.
Visit the event page to learn more:
Family Law Open Forums
Child Support Services
Denver Child Support Services works with you to identify resources that can address barriers to paying child support. Learn more:
Child Support Services
Frequently Asked Questions
How can the Parenthood program help me?
The Parenthood team is here to support you. We can get you connected to these resources:
- Employment
- Child Support
- Child Support modifications
- Family Law Open Forums
- Housing
- Mental health resources and referrals
- Parenting classes
- Support groups
- Other individual assistance services
I'm paying child support. Why should I be interested in this program?
Ultimately, it's about ensuring a better life for your children. If you're a father, you should know that children that have their father involved in their lives tend to do better in school, are more emotionally secure, and develop better social connections.
Being an engaged, supportive parent starts with addressing issues in your life that may otherwise prevent it. If you're responsible for paying child support, we can help you connect to resources and gain problem-solving skills so you can meet your obligations.
Through the program, you'll learn more about:
- Employment assistance
- Child support order modification
- Housing and food assistance
- Help with child support driver license suspension and other nonpayment consequences
- Procedural (not legal) advice with court and legal proceedings
- Other individual assistance services