Blue Sky Bridge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children who have experienced sexual abuse, may soon have to scale back its body safety education programs due to significant funding cuts. The organization’s in-school programs are designed to teach children how to recognize and report abuse. However, a decrease in federal funding could force the nonprofit to reduce these vital services.
Susana Avelar, a forensic interviewer at Blue Sky Bridge, works closely with children who have experienced sexual abuse. She collects testimonies that are used as evidence, allowing children to avoid having to testify in court. Avelar has noticed that many of the children she interviews demonstrate a strong understanding of body safety concepts, often using correct anatomical terms and clearly explaining their experiences. Some even refer directly to lessons from Blue Sky Bridge’s programs during interviews.
One child, for example, explained how he followed the steps taught in the program: he told a trusted adult about the abuse, and when they did not respond appropriately, he reported it again. “This is something straight from the curriculum given to third graders,” Avelar said.
These real-world examples have led Avelar to believe the programs are making a significant impact. “Kids are reporting much faster than what we’d been seeing,” she explained. “We’re seeing things be less egregious.” While abuse still occurs, children are now equipped with the knowledge to report it earlier, preventing years of abuse.
Blue Sky Bridge plans to hire a third-party consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of its programs. “I’m waiting to get that verification that it’s not just in my head,” Avelar said.
However, as Blue Sky Bridge awaits confirmation of its programs’ success, funding shortfalls at the federal level threaten the future of body safety education.
A Vital Program
Avelar, along with her colleague Jillian Reid, has conducted over 2,800 forensic interviews, 432 of which were in Boulder County. According to Blue Sky Bridge, one in ten children will experience childhood sexual abuse (CSA) before they turn 18. Data from the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office reported 329 cases of child exploitation from 2019-2024.
District Attorney Michael Dougherty pointed out the sad reality that many cases of CSA go unreported, preventing victims from receiving the necessary treatment or justice. In response, Blue Sky Bridge developed a comprehensive body safety curriculum that has been taught in schools across Boulder and St. Vrain Valley School Districts. In the 2023-2024 school year, the program reached 6,667 children and 1,858 adults through 347 classroom visits.
The curriculum, which started in 2010, is aimed at children in kindergarten, third grade, and fifth grade. Avelar noted that the program’s impact extends beyond students who directly participate. “Even if they didn’t attend a program, their friends were telling them, ‘You should tell,’” she said.
Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) staff, as mandatory reporters, are required to immediately notify law enforcement when abuse is suspected. District spokesperson Randy Barber acknowledged the positive impact of the body safety lessons. “What Blue Sky Bridge is hearing is what we’re hearing,” he said. “That is something worthwhile to compliment and celebrate.”
Facing Funding Challenges
Despite the success of the program, Blue Sky Bridge is facing a severe funding shortfall. A significant source of funding, the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) fund, has been decreasing for years. VOCA funds are generated through fines and penalties from federal court cases. However, as the number of cases has declined, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, these funds have dwindled.
Colorado has experienced a 76% decrease in VOCA funds since 2018, with an additional 27% reduction expected in 2025. Avelar said the nonprofit is feeling the impact this year. While the organization has managed to fill some gaps with other funding sources, the ability to do so is declining.
“The overall cost of operations continues to rise,” said Heidi Lawrence, Blue Sky Bridge’s development manager. “We look for support from other grants, individual donors, business sponsorships, and family foundations to ensure our ability to bridge this gap and meet the needs of children and families in our community.”
As a child advocacy center, Blue Sky Bridge’s primary mission is to support children who are victims of abuse. If more funding cannot be secured, Avelar said, the first program to be cut will likely be prevention efforts.
“If the choice is between prevention and responding to things that have already happened,” Avelar explained, “unfortunately we’re going to have to go with responding to things that have already happened.”
An Uncertain Future
The cost to provide body safety education in schools is significant, with Blue Sky Bridge spending $86.77 per child and $31.33 per adult to deliver the program. Grants and donations cover the majority of these costs.
Last year, BVSD paid Blue Sky Bridge $25,000 for the program, but Barber could not speculate on what the district might do if the prevention programs are reduced.
With the district also facing financial challenges due to a constrained state budget, Barber said, “It’s way too premature to know what those impacts might be.” He emphasized that everyone is working to find ways to continue supporting programs like Blue Sky Bridge’s body safety education.
“We’re all looking at this funding challenge and saying, ‘How do we keep a really good thing going for the students?’” he said. “That unfortunately is the time we are in right now.”
