The Colorado Child Welfare Scholars Consortium (CCWSC), formerly the Child Welfare Stipend Program, aims to grow and support a well-educated and prepared child welfare workforce through social work education and postgraduate professional development.
The CCWSC provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate social work students interested in pursuing a career in public child welfare in Colorado. In addition, the CCWSC contributes to the child welfare workforce through research, evaluation, and professional development opportunities for program graduates and our partners.
The CCWSC is a partnership between the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), Colorado county departments of human services and participating schools of social work throughout our state.
2025-2026 Scholarship Applications NOW OPEN!
Learn more and apply today!Join us for monthly coaching sessions!
We are excited to offer monthly group coaching session for CCWSC Alumni!
Hosted by the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver and held every third Monday, these drop-in events offer a supportive space for alumni to share experiences, gain insights, and grow both personally and professionally.
Facilitated by International Coaching Federation trained coaches, these sessions are perfect for anyone in child welfare. Connect, learn, and support each other on your social work journey!
2024 CCWSC Awards & Recognition
The CCWSC has identified shifting the culture of child welfare work as a priority. We recognize the need to lead from a strengths perspective and to honor the excellent work of our colleagues, field instructors, graduates, and students. Through telling these stories, we aim to support a new collective conscious about the importance of the work and the impact of excellence in child welfare professionals, on our community and families.
To learn more about this year’s awards and winners, please visit the Awards and Recognition page.
Outstanding Field Instructor
Amy M. Espinoza, MSW
Human Services Operations Manager, Denver Human Services – City & County of Denver
Outstanding Graduate
Sheila Strouss, MSW
Child, Family, & Adult Services Division Manager, Garfield County Department of Human Services
CCWSC County Innovations Award
Douglas County
CCWSC Outstanding Contributor
Liz Huffman, LCSW
Practice Coach Supervisor, Jefferson County Department of Human Services
Connect with Us
Have a question? Want to work with us? Reach out!
The CCWSC is housed in the Department of Social Work at MSU Denver. We work with all participating social work programs to support interested students, current scholars, and program stakeholders. Reach out and we'll be happy to connect you to the right place!
Email UsSign up to join our mailing list: http://forms.office.com/r/jg1zZUtfx8
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Social Work
PO Box 173362 CB 70
Denver, CO 80217-3362