Denver Indian Family Resource Center to expand youth services

For years the Denver Indian Family Resource Center has been a compass for Native American families who find themselves navigating difficult times.

"It was really created through the community efforts once there was recognition that native children were disproportionately represented in the child welfare system," Tallerita Tunney Rogers said.

Tunney Rogers is the Executive Director of the organization.

She says while their work is largely about connecting families to services and advocating for them in court they also focus on prevention.

"The youth program that we have here is really intended to help support the next generation of parents so that they don't have involvement in child welfare," she said.

They were recently awarded $100,000 in grant money from the Colorado health foundation to grow that program.

Tunney rogers says not only does it mean more support for things like mental health, and life skills but growing their mentorship program and increasing the opportunities for young people to reconnect with their native culture.

"It's really supporting the ongoing sustainability of our community, really." Tunney Rogers said.

Sustaining she says but also supporting continued sharing of their history and helping the generations to come to thrive.

"The outcomes are really priceless," she said.

Learn more about Denver Indian Family Resource Center.