The Kempe Center

What The Kempe Center does

The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect is a non-profit academic center founded in 1972 by C. Henry Kempe, MD, and operating as a section of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The Center delivers an integrated portfolio spanning four core functions: clinical services (Child Protection Team, SANE program, KIDS consultation, KICS foster care clinic, all delivered in partnership with Children's Hospital Colorado), evidence-based program development and dissemination (Fostering Healthy Futures, SafeCare Colorado, Rocky Mountain MST Network, Differential Response, Family Group Decision Making, TRIP), workforce education and innovation (the statewide Colorado Child Welfare Training System, Child Abuse Pediatrics fellowship, Berger research fellowship), and transformative research (the multi-center CAPNET Research Network across 11 US pediatric centers). The Center's primary customers are child welfare professionals, abused and neglected children and their families, healthcare and medical professionals, and child welfare agencies across Colorado, the broader United States, and an expanding set of international partners.

The underlying "technology" of the Center is its 50+ years of accumulated evidence-based practice, particularly intervention models validated through randomized controlled trials and a research data infrastructure (CAPNET) covering 4,000+ children annually. Programs are delivered through a mix of institutional and government channels: direct clinical services through Children's Hospital Colorado, statewide workforce training through a contract with the Colorado Department of Human Services, a distributed provider training network (CARE Network), telehealth, annual international conferences, and the Radio Kempe podcast. The Center does not own a proprietary software platform and has no mobile applications; its core assets are programmatic, clinical, and reputational.

The business model is a hybrid of government grants and contracts (federal NIH research grants, SAMHSA, Colorado Department of Human Services for CWTS), healthcare service revenue through the Children's Hospital Colorado partnership, and philanthropic donations and foundation grants. Most programs are publicly funded or free to participants — SafeCare Colorado is explicitly free and voluntary. There is no commercial pricing model, no equity capital, and no disclosed revenue figures. The organization is structurally dependent on continued state and federal appropriations, the Children's Hospital Colorado institutional relationship, and donor support.

Name

The Kempe Center

Legal name

The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect

Website

https://kempecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kempe Center is a non-profit academic center at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, founded in 1972, that delivers clinical services, evidence-based child welfare programs, workforce training, and research to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect across Colorado, the US, and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare and Pediatric Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Specialty Care Centers (e.g., cardiology, oncology, neurology) (HLAFAJAH)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Child abuse prevention
• Pediatric clinical services
• Child protection training
• Evidence-based interventions

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Primary funding from federal and state government grants and contracts, including support from the National Institutes of Health for CAPNET research, SAMHSA grants, and Colorado Department of Human Services contracts for training programs like the Colorado Child Welfare Training System
2. Healthcare Services Revenue: Revenue from clinical services including medical evaluations, consultations, and healthcare services provided through partnerships with Children's Hospital Colorado
3. Donations and Foundation Support: Philanthropic support including donations through kempe.org/donate, Kempe Foundation support, and foundation grants such as Broncos Alumni Charities $15K grant

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Kempe Center provides clinical evaluations and treatment for children affected by abuse and neglect, develops and disseminates evidence-based prevention and intervention programs (Fostering Healthy Futures, SafeCare, MST, Differential Response, FGDM, TRIP), trains the child welfare workforce through the Colorado Child Welfare Training System, and conducts multi-center clinical research through CAPNET. It operates as a non-profit academic section within the University of Colorado School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics, delivering services through Children's Hospital Colorado and partnerships with county, state, and federal agencies.

Product overview

The Kempe Center offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services organized around clinical care, evidence-based interventions, workforce education, and research. The clinical core includes the Child Protection Team, SANE program, KIDS consultation service, and KICS foster care clinic. Evidence-based programs include Differential Response, Family Group Decision Making, Fostering Healthy Futures®, Rocky Mountain MST Network, SafeCare® Colorado, and the TRIP program. Education offerings span the Child Welfare Training System, Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship, and Berger Research Fellowship. The Center also conducts transformative research through CAPNET and various epidemiology initiatives, supplemented by advocacy efforts including Radio Kempe podcasts and the annual Call to Action Conference. Programs are designed to work together to prevent child maltreatment, support families, and transform systems serving children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafeCare Colorado: A free, voluntary parent support program for parents and caregivers with children ages five and under who need extra support to keep their families safe and healthy.
• Fostering Healthy Futures (FHF)
• Child Protection Team (CPT)
• Rocky Mountain Multisystemic Therapy (MST) Network
• KIDS Program
• CARE Network
• Radio Kempe

Products and services

• Child Protection Team (CPT) Provides comprehensive medical evaluations in outpatient clinics and through inpatient and emergency department consultations at Children's Hospital Colorado. Offers the only hospital-based multidisciplinary child abuse program in Colorado. For children suspected or confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect.
• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program (SANE) Pediatric-focused SANE program administered through the Pediatric Emergency Department and Child Protection Team at Children's Hospital Colorado, providing specialized 24/7 care for victims of acute sexual assault. The only pediatric-focused SANE program in Colorado.
• KIDS Program (Kempe Inter-Disciplinary Staffing) Provides independent, expert consultation services for highly complex cases involving concerns about child abuse and neglect or child health and well-being, with service navigation and weekly monitoring. Served Colorado counties through KIDS and KIDS PLUS consultation services.
• KICS Clinic (Kids In Care Settings) Foster care clinic providing medical services for children in care settings at Children's Hospital Colorado. Opened in Spring 2023 at Children's Hospital Colorado on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
• CARE Network Child Abuse Response and Education Network of designated medical and behavioral health providers committed to providing quality care for children in their communities, receiving education, training, mentorship, and financial reimbursement. Established to increase quality and access to care across Colorado.
• Differential Response An alternative to traditional investigations in child welfare that focuses on partnering with families to provide support and services while removing the determination or finding. For child welfare agencies seeking alternative approaches to traditional investigations.
• Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) An inclusive and participatory process that positions family groups to lead decisions about their own members. Championed worldwide since the early 1990s through the National Center on Family Group Decision Making.
• Fostering Healthy Futures (FHF) Evidence-based preventive intervention for children with current or previous child welfare involvement due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), using mentoring and skills training to promote healthy development. Validated through three randomized controlled trials.
• Rocky Mountain Multisystemic Therapy (MST) Network Provides program development support for agencies interested in implementing Multisystemic Therapy, offering comprehensive program development to ensure new MST teams are set up to succeed. Active across Colorado, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington.
• SafeCare Colorado A free, voluntary parent support program for parents and caregivers with children ages five and under, helping build skills in parent-child interactions, home safety, and child health. Statewide program.
• Trauma-Responsive Implementation and Practice (TRIP) Implementation, evaluation, and research program helping agencies from child welfare, behavioral health, education, and other fields become more trauma responsive through individualized approaches including needs assessment, goal setting, training, clinical consultation, and continuous improvement.
• Colorado Child Welfare Training System (CWTS) Provides education and resources for new workers and supervisors in public child welfare in Colorado, including youth services, Families First Prevention Services, and foster/kin/adoptive family resources. Contracted partner with the Colorado Department of Human Services.
• Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Three-year post-residency fellowship training physicians to become academic and clinical leaders in the subspecialty field of Child Abuse Pediatrics. Accredited fellowship program.
• Berger Research Fellowship Two-year postdoctoral research fellowship designed to support the career development of professionals who want to become independent investigators in the field of child maltreatment and welfare.
• CAPNET Research Network Multi-center clinical research network conducting rigorous research to make the care of potentially abused children and their families more effective, safe, and fair. Kempe Center is one of three hub sites; the network collects data from 11 leading US pediatric centers on 4000+ children annually. Supported by NIH.
• Be Well. Do Well. Stay Awhile. Evidence-informed framework and strategies to build a positive work culture that helps retain an engaged workforce, targeting the three drivers of workforce resilience: leadership, workplace culture, and individual behaviors. For child welfare agencies.
• A Call to Action Conference Annual virtual international conference bringing together child welfare professionals, practitioners, advocates, policymakers, researchers, and others working towards sustainable, transformative change. Includes a Rome 2025 edition.
• Together in Truth International child welfare truth-telling initiative in partnership with communities to challenge issues embedded in formal child welfare systems.
• RQ-Race Intelligence Coaching Services Coaching framework for leaders to engage in conversations about race, identity, and organizational dynamics through reflective inquiry and relational skill-building. For organizational leaders and teams.
• Radio Kempe Podcast Monthly podcast series featuring conversations on current issues related to child abuse and neglect prevention, child welfare, trauma, advocacy, and system reform, with guests including researchers, advocates, policymakers, and experts.

Quantifiable outcome

• CAPNET collects data on 4000+ children annually from 11 pediatric centers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Children's Hospital ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary clinical partnership providing the Child Protection Team clinic, SANE program, KICS foster care clinic, and integrated healthcare services. Children's Hospital Colorado is the only hospital-based multidisciplinary child abuse program in Colorado and one of the oldest in the nation, meeting CHA Child Abuse Center of Excellence designation criteria.
• University of Colorado School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kempe Center is a section of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, located on the Anschutz Medical Campus. Faculty appointments, medical education, and research infrastructure are provided through this partnership.
• Colorado Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContracted partner for the Colorado Child Welfare Training System (CWTS), providing statewide training for all new child welfare workers and supervisors. Also partner for various evidence-based programs including Differential Response implementation.
• CASA ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Court Appointed Special Advocates for child advocacy. Kempe presented at CASA's Annual Colorado CASA Conference, providing training and tools to advocates and staff.
• University Department of PsychiatrysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with University Department of Psychiatry for behavioral health services integration across clinical programs.
• CAPNET Research NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kempe Center is one of three hub sites for CAPNET, a research network conducting multi-center clinical research on child physical abuse with 11 leading US pediatric centers. Supported by NIH, collecting data on 4000+ children annually.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKempe Center faculty serve as affiliates of NCTSN since 2008 and serve on national committees, accessing resources and collaboration opportunities through this network.
• Quality Improvement Center on Workforce Development (QIC-WD)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on workforce development research and improvement initiatives for child welfare systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Prevent Child Abuse America: A national nonprofit focused on preventing child abuse through education, advocacy, and research. Operates broadly in the same field, though oriented more to public awareness and policy than academic research.
• Childhelp: A national nonprofit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse, operating advocacy programs, hotlines, and residential treatment services. Comparable mission focus, though service delivery model differs from Kempe's academic/clinical approach.
• National Children's Alliance: A national nonprofit that accredits and supports over 900 child advocacy centers across the US. Operates at the national standards and policy level, complementary to Kempe's academic and clinical focus on child abuse.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN): A federally funded network (SAMHSA) advancing trauma-informed care for children; Kempe faculty serve as NCTSN affiliates. Comparable as a national network addressing child trauma through research, training, and clinical practice.
• American Humane: A national organization working on child welfare, animal welfare, and humane issues. Comparable as a long-standing national player in child welfare, though broader in scope than Kempe's child-abuse-specific focus.

Emerging players

• Zero Abuse Project: A national nonprofit working to prevent child abuse through survivor support, education, and systems reform. Comparable mission focus on child abuse prevention, though newer and smaller than Kempe.
• Darkness to Light: A national nonprofit focused on child sexual abuse prevention through adult education and training programs. Comparable as a specialized child abuse prevention organization, but smaller scope and focused on a specific abuse category.

Others

• Casey Family Programs: A national operating foundation focused on improving child welfare systems and supporting children and families in or at risk of entering foster care. Thematically adjacent as a child welfare systems-focused funder and partner.

Direct peers

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center - Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children: A peer academic medical center that operates a multidisciplinary child abuse evaluation and treatment program, conducts research, and trains child abuse pediatricians. Directly comparable as a hospital-based academic program in the same clinical subspecialty.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics: A leading pediatric academic medical center with a dedicated child abuse pediatrics program providing clinical evaluations, research, and fellowship training. Directly comparable in scope and academic orientation to Kempe's Child Protection Team and fellowship programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kempecenter160
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-kempe-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Kempe Center