The Weld County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed September 2025 as Kinship Care Month and recognized Department of Human Services staff for work placing children with kin, commissioners said at a public meeting on Sept. 3.

Jamie Ulrich, director of the Weld County Department of Human Services, told the board that Weld County places about 63% of children in kinship placements, above the Colorado average of about 50 percent. Ulrich said the county’s practice is to “actively try to find kin immediately when we start getting involved with families” and that staff routinely evaluate kinship homes within about an hour of notification to reduce placement moves.

The proclamation cites research the board read aloud that kinship placements reduce trauma, help maintain family and cultural connections, and improve behavioral and educational outcomes; commissioners said those outcomes are why the county prioritizes kin placements. Commissioners thanked Ulrich and a list of staff and partner organizations the director recognized at the meeting.

Discussion versus action: The item was a ceremonial proclamation; no regulatory change or funding decision was made. The board signed and read the proclamation and accepted the director’s remarks.

Background and context: Ulrich said county staff will not stop searching for kin at any stage of involvement with a family, including “kin-like” placements where a nonrelative has a significant relationship with the child. The proclamation text and Ulrich’s remarks emphasize kinship care as a county priority and recognize state partners who assist the department.

What to watch next: The proclamation is a recognition of ongoing program priorities; any changes to placement policy, budgets, or eligibility were not proposed or decided at the meeting.