Thursday, January 26, 2017

Low-cost Vaccine Clinic Available in Arvada February 4

A low-cost vaccine clinic called Shot for Tots and Teens is coming up on February 4 at Arvada Fire Station #2, 5250 Oak Street.  
Does your son or daughter need vaccinated? Come to the Arvada clinic!
Call 303-239-7078 for more information!

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Make 2017 your healthiest year yet! Find ways to boost your health and well-being!

Learn how you can live a safer and healthier life:

Healthy You
  • Make Healthy Food Choices: A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts and is low in saturated fats, transfats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.  JCPH offers county residents information and education to improve your nutrition knowledge and increase your ability to make better food choices. 
  • Be Active: Try simple things such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  Check out Jeffco Open Space’s parks and trails web page to find the perfect walk or hike for you and your family. Learn more about Healthy Jeffco’s Active Living Coalition and get involved in the work that is being done to increase active living opportunities in Jefferson County.  Consider mall walking if the weather is cold or icy. Be active for at least 2½ hours a week.
  • Be Smokefree:  JCPH is encouraging people who use tobacco to consider kicking the habit in 2017. Setting a quit date and making a plan are important first steps towards regaining freedom from tobacco. People who have a plan for quitting in advance of their quit day can increase the odds of staying tobacco-free for life. It is NEVER too late to quit tobacco. In fact, your body begins to heal after only 20 minutes of smoking your last cigarette. Quitting is hard, but with the right tools, resources and support, you can do it! Visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com/thinking-of-quitting to find resources that can help you quit for good.
  • Get Enough Sleep: Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

Healthy Family


  • Learn how to be healthy before, during, and after pregnancy.  The JCPH Prenatal Plus program offers nurse home visitations to women during pregnancy and for up to 2 months after the baby is born.
  • Lower the risk of foodborne illness as you prepare meals for your family.  Visit the JCPH webpage to learn more about local foodborne illness prevention in Jefferson County 

Jefferson County Public Health is wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year! For more information, visit http://jeffco.us/public-health



HIV & AIDS in the United States Update: 2015 HIV Surveillance Report

According to the annual report released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention HIV rates have decreased among both men and women and among African Americans and Latino populations.


The report highlights a number of key trends for 2010-2014, including the following:

  • The annual numbers and rates of HIV diagnoses decreased overall and among both women and men
  • HIV diagnosis rates decreased among African Americans, Latinos and whites
  • HIV diagnosis rates increased among people ages 25 to 29, remained stable among those ages 20-24, and decreased among other age groups
  • The annual number of diagnoses attributed to male-to-male sexual contact remained stable, while the number
  • attributed to heterosexual contact or injection drug use decreased
  • The annual number and rate of deaths of persons with diagnosed HIV decreased
  • HIV prevalence reached an all-time high; at the end of 2014, more than 955,000 people were living with diagnosed


While trends in HIV diagnoses are influenced by testing rates, and may not always reflect trends in actual HIV transmission, the declines seen in this report suggest that national HIV prevention efforts are paying off, while signaling the urgent need for intensified prevention among young people and men who have sex with men.

In a continuing effort to decrease HIV and Hepatitis C transmission in the county, Jefferson County Public Health opened the newest approved syringe exchange program in Colorado joining locations in Boulder County, Denver Metro, Fort Collins, Pueblo and Grand Junction.

The new program, named Points West, is a harm reduction program committed to stopping the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C among people who inject drugs in Jefferson County.  Points West is located at the Jefferson County Public Health clinic, 645 Parfet Street in Lakewood.   Syringe exchange services are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM. No appointment is necessary and services are free and confidential to all participants of the program.   For more information about Points West Syringe Access Program call the Jefferson County Public Health department at 303.232.6301.

BABES Act has passed the Senate...on its way to President

The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES Act) passed the Senate with unanimous support, as the 114th Congressional session came to a close. Since the Senate passed the same version previously passed by the House, that means it is now heading to the President's desk to be signed into law!

This is not only a critical development for traveling families, but also an historic day for breastfeeding advocates. The BABES Act is the first breastfeeding-specific bill to go to the floor of either house of Congress as a standalone measure.

The BABES Act will require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to provide ongoing training to ensure its officers consistently enforce TSA Special Procedures related to breast milk, formula, and infant feeding equipment across all airport security checkpoints. Although travelers are explicitly permitted to bring "formula, breast milk and juice for infants or toddlers" that exceed the TSA's 3-1-1 Liquids Rule for carry-on baggage, many have reported experiencing inconsistent implementation of these procedures during airport security screening.

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of individuals, organizations, and policymakers from both sides of the aisle, there will soon be a federal law requiring training to ensure that TSA agents support traveling breastfeeding families, and ensuring that this training is sustained over time.

Jefferson County Public Health offers free breastfeeding classes are offered at the Lakewood, Arvada, and Edgewater WIC clinics. Spanish-speaking breastfeeding information can be provided on an individual basis. Classes are held monthly and last from one to two hours. Visit the JCPH Breast Feeding Program webpage to find out when the next class is.

Jefferson County Public Health and the Mother’s Milk Bank also partner to provide a mom’s group for breastfeeding women.  The group meets every third Wednesday of the month from 10am-12pm at the Mother’s Milk Bank at 5394 Marshall St. in Arvada.

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.  Cervical cancer is highly preventable with regular screening tests and follow-up care.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 81% of new cases of cervical cancer could be prevented every year by HPV vaccination.

The CDC recommends that boys and girls 11-12 years old get the vaccine as preteens as they have a higher immune response to the vaccine at that age. Additionally, boys and girls 9-14 only need 2 doses of the vaccine 6 months apart, compared to teens and young adults (ages 15-26) who need 3 doses of the vaccine.

According to the Colorado Cancer Coalition, only 42% of Colorado girls and 22% of Colorado boys aged 13-17 were vaccinated against HPV in 2015.  With early diagnosis and treatment, the lifetime risk of invasive cervical cancer for a Colorado female has dropped to 1 in 191 women.  To protect against cancers caused by HPV infections, the HPV vaccination can be given to both males and females between ages 9-26.

The Denver Metro Alliance for HPV Prevention is a collaborative project working to decrease rates of the Human Papillomavirus across the great Denver metropolitan area.  The regional collaborative includes Denver Public Health, Jefferson County Public Health, Tri-County Health Department, the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, and the Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science.  For more information about HPV Prevention visit this webpage.

In recognition of National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, the CDC recommends women between the ages of 21 and 65 get screened for cervical cancer.

There are two tests that can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early:

  • The Pap test (of Pap smear) looks for precancers, which are cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
  • The HPV test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes. 


Women should start getting Pap tests regularly at age 21. If you are 30 years old or older, you may choose to have an HPV test along with the Pap test. Both tests can be performed by your healthcare provider at the same time. If your test results are normal, your chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low.  If you have questions or would like to schedule a Pap test call the Jefferson County Public Health Lakewood Clinic at 303-239-7078.  Jefferson County Public Health is also a participating member in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Women’s Wellness Connection(WWC) Care Coordination Grant Program (CCGP).   The program increases breast and cervical cancer screening rates in Colorado by helping insured women navigate breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnosis.

Join Jefferson County Public Health in honoring National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month by being proactive about your health, help prevent HPV and Cervical Cancer.

2017 Dates for Shots for Tots and Teens in Arvada, CO

Jefferson County Public Health’s (JCPH) Immunization and Emergency Preparedness Programs are partnering with the Arvada Fire Department and the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition to provide Shots For Tots and Teens, community-based immunization clinics for children and adolescents, here in Jefferson County.  Shots for Tots and Teens’ goal is to make sure every child receives the immunizations needed to keep them healthy.  

The upcoming JCPH Shots for Tots and Teens clinics will be on Saturdays from 10:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. on January 7,  February 4, and March 4, 2017. Shots for Tots and Teens is held at Arvada Fire Station #2, 5250 Oak St. Arvada, CO 80002.  Fire station #2 is accessible by RTD bus line #100 to Miller Street and Ridge Road stop, and beginning in October, light rail G line to the Arvada Ridge stop.
The program offers low- and no-cost Saturday immunization clinics throughout the year in Aurora, Denver, and Arvada with the help of experienced immunization public health nurses, fire medics, paramedics, health care and community volunteers. Each clinic also offers fun activities for kids, including fire engine and ambulance tours.

All recommended immunizations are available for children ages birth through 18 years. No appointment is necessary, and clients are served on a first come, first serve basis. Parents or legal guardians must be present for minors and are urged to bring immunization records to each visit.  During busy Shots For Tots and Teens clinics, some patients may be referred for an appointment to their local public health department if maximum capacity has been reached.

For more information, or to make an appointment at one of our regularly scheduled immunization clinics offered Monday-Friday, please call 303-239-7078.
Download promotional Arvada flier 

Public Health Assists Child Care Centers and Homeowners with Radon Testing January is National Radon Action Month

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH), funded by a grant from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE), is providing free radon test kits to day care centers. In November 2015, the Colorado State Board of Health adopted changes in the Colorado child care regulations to require radon testing in all child care centers by May 1, 2017.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon is second leading cause of lung cancer, and the first among nonsmokers. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.  About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.

According to CDPHE, in Colorado, all 64 counties are at high risk for radon.  Due to the gas’s unpredictable nature, two houses right next to each other may have very different radon levels.  Radon testing has been encouraged in private homes for many years to help protect children and families.  As many children spend extended time in day care settings, this new regulation will help protect against radon even further.

During the next several months, JCPH Environmental Health Services will provide test kits to the day care center facilities and instruct staff in their use. Test results will go directly to the health department for evaluation prior to being sent back to the facilities. The test results will be accompanied by radon mitigation information if needed along with suggestions for communicating results to families.  Actual mitigation is not required under the current child care center regulations, but may be required in the future.

In conjunction with National Radon Action Month, January 2017 has been declared as  Jefferson County Radon Action Month by the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners. Read proclamation. Gov. John Hickenlooper also proclaimed January National Radon Action Month in Colorado.

As such, in addition to providing radon test kits to day care centers, throughout the month of January, JCPH will be providing free radon test kits and analysis for homeowners – limited availability, 1 per family please while supplies last.. Kits can be picked up at JCPH, 645 Parfet Street in Lakewood. Please call (303) 271-5700 to let us know you will be coming and to check on availability. When supply of free kits run out, radon test kits will be available for purchase at $10.00 each.

For more information: