More than
700,000 children
were victims of child abuse or neglect in the U.S. in 2014, the most recent
data available from the Centers for Disease Control. In the same year, more
than 1,500 children died due to abuse and neglect.
Public health agencies, like JCPH,
work to stop child maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, before it occurs.
In doing this, national, state and local public health programs promote the
development of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments
between children and their parents or caregivers. Children's experiences are
defined through their environments (such as homes, schools, and neighborhoods)
and relationships with parents, teachers, and other caregivers. Healthy
relationships act as a buffer againstadverse childhood experiencesand are necessary to ensure the long-term physical and
emotional well-being of children.
The first years of a child's life
are some of the most important in terms of cognitive, social and physical
development. Early experiences occurring when a child's brain and behavior are
being shaped affect a child's ability to learn, to get along with others, and
to develop an overall state of well-being. Unfortunately, not all children have
the same positive experiences or opportunities, which can lead to disparities.
Social, economic and environmental factors have been closely linked to health
disparities.
Research suggests that many disparities in overall health
and well-being are rooted in early childhood. For example, those who lived in
poverty as young children are more at-risk for leading causes of illness and
death, and are more likely to experience poor quality of life. This growing
problem costs the United States billions of dollars annually.
That’s why Jefferson County Public Health is hosting three
screenings of “The Raising of America,” a documentary on early childhood health
and the things community members can do to help the youngest among us. The
first two screening took place the first weekend of April, and the third will
be from 5-7 p.m. April 17 at the Golden Library. RSVP at roa-golden.eventbrite.com.
The documentary film series “The
Raising of America” chronicles
how a strong, healthy and supportive start for all children leads to better
individual outcomes and to healthier, safer and more prosperous and equitable
communities.
“‘The Raising of America’ changes the way we
look at early child health and development,” said Sophia Yager, Jefferson
County Public Health nurse program manager and lead for the Health in Early
Childhood Collaborative. “Jefferson County can only benefit from considering
how to best support its youngest residents and their families. Through these
viewings, we hope to start those conversations.”
Jefferson County Public Health’s home visitation programs
such as Prenatal Plus,
Nurse Family Partnership
and the Family Collaboration
Programs as well as its HEAL in Early Childhood
and Clinic Services
provide the support necessary to keep children and their families healthy.The Community Health Services Division
implements evidence-based prevention strategies to reduce health disparities
and promote health equity to positively impact later health, well-being,
education and productivity and self-sufficiency. WATCH THIS VIDEO to learn more!
On Earth Day this
year, April 22, take time to think about the environment and climate. This
year’s Earth Day focus is on environmental and climate literacy. The Earth Day
Network is offering toolkits to help community members hold events and
“Teach-ins” about the importance of climate change awareness, advocating for
environmental education in schools and encouraging individuals to take action
in their communities.
Climate
change, and its impacts on health, have been widely recognized in the public
health community. The American Public Health Association declared 2017 the Year
of Climate Change and Health, and is dedicated to educating the public on just
what a changing world means for them and their families. "If anyone doesn't think this is
a severe problem, they are fooling themselves," said APHA Executive
Director Georges Benjami, in the Washington Post.
A recent report from CNN also detailed the
lasting impacts climate change has not only on physical health, but on mental
health, too. With climate projections predicting an increase in severe weather
events, like flooding, heat waves, wildfires, droughts and large storms, the
mental and emotional impact of the environment is expected to grow. In the
article, British psychologist James Rubin said the impact of climate on mental
health needs to be given attention.
“There are a whole host of stressors around (flooding),” said Rubin,
whose research centered around the impact of floods. “Preventing (climate
change) from happening, from worsening and intervening is really important.”
To learn more about the impact of climate change on health, watch the videos from the national
Climate and Health Meeting in Atlanta, Ga., in February. The conference was hosted
by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, APHA, The Climate Reality Project, Harvard
Global Health Institute and the University of Washington Center for Health and
the Global Environment with support from the Turner Foundation and other
organizations.
Each year during National Public
Health Week, April 3-9, 2017, Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) honors some
of the people who work to prevent illness and promote health in our
communities.
While they may not have made public health their profession, the
work they do, partnerships they provide and their enthusiasm for making health
a priority in Jefferson County makes them the 2016 Public Health Champions.
This year, all the honorees share a common trait: heroism. They are everyday
superheroes, like police and firefighters. They provide childcare for
low-income families, believe housing should be affordable and healthy and make
food safety a top priority. They are business owners that believe in providing
a Thanksgiving meal to those in need.
An award ceremony hosted by JCPH, the Jefferson County Board of Health and the
Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners was held for these heroes —
these champions — 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, 2017 in the Lookout
Mountain Room of the Jefferson County Courts and Administration site, 100
Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80419.
JCPH is pleased to announce the
following 2016 Public Health Champions:
Ensuring Safe and Healthy
Childcare for Homeless and Low-Income Families Susan Dunn — Director, Renaissance Children’s Center
Renaissance Children’s Center (RCC) in Lakewood is one of the few childcare
centers in Jefferson County that primarily serves low-income and homeless
families. Susan Dunn, director of RCC, is a Public Health Champion for her work
to create a safe, stable and healthy environment for children who may otherwise
not have one.
Research shows that chronic exposure to stressors like food and housing
insecurities can have a profoundly negative impact on a child’s overall growth
and development. Under Dunn’s leadership, RCC strives to buffer these troubles.
Dunn and her staff recognize that sound, appropriate nutrition and
opportunities for physical activity in early childhood are key factors in
determining lifelong health outcomes.
Staff and parents converted the grassy area in front of the center into a
community garden, which supplies produce for the children’s snack and lunch.
The children can take extra produce to share with family. The community-wide
“5210 Jeffco” posters — which recommend five fruits and vegetables daily, two
or fewer hours of screen time, at least one hour of physical activity and zero
sugary beverages— are hung at RCC to educate both parents and children.
The RCC staff also teaches life skills, manners and problem solving, as these
children are more susceptible to learning disabilities, mental illness and
other health issues. RCC works in partnership with public health organizations
throughout the metro area, including JCPH, Culture of Wellness in Preschools
and Go Farm.
Assuring the Safe Dispensing of
Medication in a Public Health Emergency and Increasing Access to Immunizations
for Children and Teens Arvada Fire Protection District’s EMS Chief Dave Mitchell, EMS Captain
Robert Putfark and Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Higgins
Arvada Fire Protection District partnered with JCPH on two important projects
in 2016.
Emergency Medical Services Chief Dave Mitchell worked with the JCPH Emergency
Preparedness and Response (EPR) program to ensure the county is prepared to
address and provide medication dispensing in a disaster. Arvada Fire became a
dispensing partner and volunteered to test a new process by the EPR program. In
just six weeks, Arvada Fire met with JCPH EPR many times, found resources to
staff an internal dispensing site and offered to become a site for the
community to receive medications in an emergency. These plans were tested
during an exercise called Operation Bubble Blast. Without Arvada Fire, this
important emergency preparedness activity could not have happened.
In addition to becoming a partner in preparedness, the Fire Protection District
partnered with JCPH for a Shots for Tots and Teens program. Firefighter and
paramedic Andrew Higgins approached JCPH with the idea in late 2015.
Emergency Medical Services Captain Robert Putfark, along with Mitchell and
Higgins, engaged in more than six months of planning for the clinics. Along
with public health nurses, they provided immunization training to all
paramedics, several of whom were at each clinic. Arvada Fire also contributed
funds for equipment and prizes for children.
The firefighters’ and paramedics’ interactions with families were amazing to
watch. Anxious children going into the immunization area came out smiling. They
made getting immunized a fun and rewarding experience for children, all while
supporting their preventive health care. In four clinics held in 2016, nearly
80 clients received about 200 immunizations.
Throughout both projects, Arvada Fire and these Public Health Champions
demonstrated superb attitude, flexibility and community spirit. Learn more about Operation Bubble Blast here:
Reducing the Toll of Tobacco in
Our Communities through Smoke-Free Housing Policies Jefferson County Housing Authority’s Henry Wehrdt, Senior Asset
Manager, and Leslie Ross, Housing Program Specialist
On February 1, 2016, subsidized housing property Green Ridge Meadows became
smoke and vapor-free. On November 1, 2016, seven more Jefferson County Housing
Authority (JCHA) properties did the same. Henry Wehrdt, senior asset manager at
JCHA, and Leslie Ross, JCHA housing program specialist, are Public Health
Champions for their work to protect the more than 1,200 residents at these
properties from the dangers of secondhand smoke and aerosolized emissions from
vaporizing devices, like e-cigarettes.
Wehrdt and Ross worked closely with JCPH’s Tobacco Prevention Initiative to
design a resident-engaged process to transition properties to being smoke and
vapor-free. Their commitment to supporting all residents in having smoke-free
environments is matched by their compassion for the challenges these policies
create for people who have smoked for many years and for whom housing
insecurity is already a concern.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that prohibiting
smoking in subsidized housing can yield annual cost savings of nearly $500
million, with the greatest majority of the savings going toward reducing health
care expenses related to smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. This data has
helped many housing providers make their buildings and properties smoke-free,
many without much concern that residents who can’t or don’t comply will be
evicted.
This wasn’t the case with Wehrdt and Ross at the Jefferson County Housing
Authority. They are very familiar with the impact of homelessness, as they
serve some of our county’s poorest. They understand the conflicting dilemmas of
residents with limited mobility or serious mental illness who have smoked for
many years in their apartments, just as they understand the struggles of a
family with an asthmatic child or parent with chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease who suffers because of a neighbor’s smoking. Their primary goal was to
find a way to implement a smoke-free policy that supports the people who smoke,
helps protect everyone’s health and improves community cohesion and housing
stability — and make eviction a last resort.
Ross and Wehrdt recently attended a resident celebration event, where both
residents who do and don’t smoke spoke about the successes of the process and
identified opportunities for improvement. According to a post-policy survey,
more than 13 percent of the residents who smoke or vape (and took the survey)
have quit since the policy went into effect November 1.
Advocating for the Health and
Safety of People who Inject Drugs in the County Lakewood Police Department — Chief of Police Daniel McCasky, Commander
Pat Heffner, Commander Rob Buchan, Sergeant Marc DiRezza, Agent Aaron Lowe,
Division Chief Steve Rickels, Commander Randy McNitt and Commander Mike Maestas
In an effort to decrease HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C transmission and to
better address the needs of people who inject drugs, JCPH started the Points
West Syringe Access Program in February 2016.
The program allows people who
inject drugs to exchange used syringes for new, sterile ones, and provides new
injection equipment, low-cost HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C testing and
education, as well as referrals to other services and more.
The Lakewood Police Department’s Chief of Police Daniel McCasky, Commander Pat
Heffner, Commander Rob Buchan, Sergeant Marc DiRezza, Agent Aaron Lowe,
Division Chief Steve Rickels, Commander Randy McNitt and Commander Mike Maestas
are 2016 Public Health Champions for embracing this important cause from the
beginning and always being the first to volunteer to help.
Lakewood Police was the first Jefferson County law enforcement agency to carry
Points West cards to hand out to those in need of services and the first to
train officers on responding to a suspected opiod overdose and equip officers
with naloxone, a life-saving medication that can reverse an opiod overdose. In
late 2016, officers were able to reverse several overdoses in the field.
These champions also helped to create three educational videos — two for
officer training and one as a Public Service Annoucement for Points West. Chief
McCasky and officers helped design and star in the videos, which are now being
widely shared and used among law enforcement and public health agencies in the
metro area.
The Lakewood Police Department is a strong advocate for Points West and
continues to find ways to partner with JCPH in addressing the complex needs of
people who inject drugs and promoting public health.
Supporting Local Food Access and
Increasing Food Security GoFarm — award accepted by Eileen Regan, founder and CEO, Kim Massey,
program manager of GoFarm to Seniors, and Anna Schott, program manager of
GoFarm to Families
GoFarm is a 2016 Public Health Champion for its work to increase the supply of
healthy food available from local sources at an affordable price.
GoFarm, based in Golden, operates a Local Food Share program. The organization
provides assistance to beginning local farmers and connects them to a local
market of consumers. Community members can purchase local produce and egg
shares for weekly pick-up and know their food was grown locally and
sustainably.
The Local Food Share program supports GoFarm’s grant-funded outreach programs,
GoFarm to Families and GoFarm to Seniors, both implemented in 2016. GoFarm to
Families supports healthy eating for young children and their families through
education and by increasing access and affordability of fresh produce. During
the growing season, families at participating preschools can purchase low-cost
produce boxes filled with fresh, local fruits and vegetables. The boxes also
include family-friendly recipes and information about where the produce was
grown.
GoFarm to Seniors focuses on increasing access to healthy food by providing
one-on-one, mobile application assistance for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program) enrollment. GoFarm to Seniors also partners with community
organizations to increase SNAP eligibility awareness, and promotes healthy
eating through cooking demonstrations and food distribution events.
In 2016, GoFarm’s second year of operation, the Local Food Share program
supplied more than 150 shareholders local produce. More than 1,100 produce
boxes were sold to families at four Jefferson County preschools and more than
100 produce boxes were distributed and eight cooking demonstrations were
provided to the residents of two affordable senior housing complexes in Golden.
In addition, more than 80 Jeffco seniors were screened for SNAP eligibility in
2016.
GoFarm accepts SNAP benefits for all of its programs and is a Double Up Food
Bucks partner, meaning SNAP customers benefits go twice as far. GoFarm works
with community partners such as: Centura Health, Colorado School of Mines, Hunger
Free Golden, the Healthy Jeffco Food Policy Council, Health in Early Childhood
Collaborative, Jeffco Conservation District and, Jeffco CSU Extension Office.
Assuring Food Safety Casa Bonita’s General Manager Mike Mason, Assistant General Manager
Peer Osby and Store Manager Rob Hall
Casa Bonita has a dedicated staff of employees that are innovative,
conscientious and diligent in assuring they serve food that is safe for public
consumption. The managers have been there for many years and continually think
of new ways to promote safe food and solve issues that arise.
Management ensures that every two years, every employee in the establishment
takes the Online Food Safety Course from the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment website. This includes the food handlers, servers,
maintenance staff, office employees and management.
They have also developed an internal communication system using cell phones
that informs all of the employees of observed violations and an efficient
system for correcting the violation immediately. They have shared this system
with other restaurants so they can also be more compliant with the Colorado
Retail Food Service Regulation. This has led to collaboration with other
restaurants to problem solve food safety issues that arise on a day-to-day
basis.
Casa Bonita has been active in attending the JCPH Food Safety Forum for the
last five years to learn more about food safety and to share ideas with other
attendees. They also participated on the Advisory Committee that helped JCPH
launch the Jefferson County Excellence in Food Safety Course, which has has
been offered by JCPH’s Environmental Health Services for the last 23 years.
Casa Bonita is a progressive restaurant that is proud to promote food safety
and give guests the most pleasant experience possible. They care about their
staff and the public, and it shows in how well they perform on their food
safety inspections.
Providing Happiness and Thanksgiving for Jefferson County WIC Families White Fence Farm’s Volunteer, Liz Breuer, and Owners, Craig Caldwell and Tom Piercy Approximately
24 percent of households with children in Colorado struggle to afford enough
food for themselves and their families. White Fence Farm, a homestyle-cooking
family restaurant, farmhouse and entertainment facility, generously fed more
than 100 of the Jefferson County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants
for free on Thanksgiving Day in 2016.
Owners Craig Caldwell and Tom Piercy jumped on the opportunity to help families
in need when Liz Breuer, avolunteer, suggested the gift of a free Thanksgiving
meal for WIC participants. Liz knew that the WIC Program serves families who
sometimes struggle to have enough food in their homes, especially during the
holidays. She contacted JCPH’s WIC clinics and made it happen. WIC participants
were very grateful for White Fence Farm’s kindness and for the delicious meal
they received.
Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) encourages healthy swimming behaviors to reduce the risk of recreational water illnesses. Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) are illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers or oceans. RWIs can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including gastrointestinal illness, skin, respiratory, neurological and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea. Diarrheal illnesses can be caused by germs such as Cryptosporidium, Girardia, Shigella, Norovirus and E. coli.
Practice healthy swimming behaviors:
Refrain from swimming when ill, especially if you have diarrhea.
Avoid swallowing pool water or even getting it in your mouth.
Shower before swimming and wash hands after using bathroom or changing diapers. Change diapers in bathroom and not at poolside or near water.
Apply sunblock thoroughly and often, especially after swimming
For more information about Recreational Water Illness Prevention and Healthy Swimming, call 303-271-5700.
Worldwide,
over 400 million people are living with hepatitis B or C and over 1.2 million people die each year from hepatitis B or
C-related liver diseases. These deaths could be prevented through
increased education and understanding on how to prevent hepatitis. Learn more
about the global campaign to eliminate the different types of hepatitis.
What is Viral Hepatitis?
“Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver.
The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and
fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be
affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions
can cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. In the
United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A , Hepatitis B , and Hepatitis C .
Colorado’s Governor Hickenlooper has proclaimed May 2-6,
2016 as Colorado Drinking Water Week.
The week provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to think about
water and to become better stewards of this precious resource. Consider the value safe drinking water brings
to our personal lives, our community and
our state. The Colorado Department of
Health and Environment, Denver Water, Westwood Unidos and One World, One Water
Center will host a panel on drinking
water issues on Tuesday May 3, 2016
from 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th
Ave. Denver, CO 80204. Participation is free.
Free Movie Screening: Flow- Join CDPHE and others in a free
screening of Flow on Thursday, May 5,
2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Esquire Theater in Denver. The movie builds the case against the growing
privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with a focus on
politics, pollution, human rights and the emergence of a world water cartel.
Child maltreatment—which includes emotional, physical, sexual abuse and neglect—is a serious public health issue. Hundreds of thousands of children are victims each year. According to child protective service agencies, about 679,000 children were substantiated victims of maltreatment in 2013.
The Division of Violence Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to better understand the problem of child maltreatment and to prevent it before it begins. Essentials for Childhood is CDC's framework for preventing child maltreatment, and its efforts are focused on assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children. The framework’s online resources and tools help prevention efforts during National Child Abuse Prevention Month and throughout the year.
Public health works to stop child maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, before it occurs. In doing this, national, state and local public health programs promote the development of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments between children and their parents or caregivers. Children's experiences are defined through their environments (such as homes, schools, and neighborhoods) and relationships with parents, teachers, and other caregivers. Healthy relationships act as a buffer against adverse childhood experiences and are necessary to ensure the long-term physical and emotional well-being of children.
The Colorado Health Foundation, in partnership with the Colorado Health Institute, released its 2016 Colorado Health Report Card on February 17, 2016. The report marks 10 years of ranking Colorado against other states based on 38 health indicators across five life stages, revealing data trends that showcase Colorado’s progress and struggles in health over a decade. View the infographic. In addition to sharing 10-year trends for some of Colorado’s most pressing health issues, this year’s Health Report Card features the latest annual rankings across five life stages and “deep dive” workbooks focused on specific health indicators.
Over the past decade, Colorado’s Report Card rankings have faltered on the following health issues:
Healthy Beginnings: The percentage of children between 19 and 35 months who received all their recommended immunizations dropped from 80.3 in 2007 to 74.3 in 2016.
Healthy Children: The number of children living in poverty is on the rise, from 14.4 percent in 2007 to 20.1 percent in 2016.
Healthy Adolescents: The percentage of teens living in poverty has increased from 10.3 percent in 2007 to 17.7 percent in 2016.
Healthy Adults: Adults experiencing poor mental health increased from 11.8 in 2007 to 13.7 in 2016.
Healthy Aging: Colorado struggles to improve immunization for seniors, with a decrease from 62.2 percent in 2007 to 52.8 percent in 2016.
While these are concerning trends, there is progress to note from the past 10 years. Both babies and children earned their highest grades in this latest 2016 Health Report Card. The Healthy Beginnings category climbed from a C to a C+, mostly because Colorado moms-to-be reached sixth place nationally for timely prenatal care, jumping 12 places. And Healthy Children also took home a C+, with higher health insurance coverage driving their rise from a C.
No matter how large or small your holiday
guest list may be this year, it is important to be aware of safety issues when
thawing, preparing, stuffing and cooking your turkey and other holiday meal
additions. A few simple steps can help keep foodborne illness off the menu this
Thanksgiving.
Safe Thawing: Thawing turkeys must be kept out of the
"danger zone" temperature (between 40 and 140°F) — this is the
temperature range where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly. See Safe Methods for
Thawing,
(Spanish version).
Safe Preparation: Bacteria
present on raw poultry can contaminate your hands, utensils, and work
surfaces as you prepare the turkey. After working with raw poultry, always
wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces before they touch other
foods.
Safe Cooking: Set the oven temperature
no lower than 325°F and be sure the turkey is completely thawed. Cooking times will vary.
The food thermometer must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
For more information on safe internal temperatures, visit FoodSafety.gov's
Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures
Our hands are exposed to germs with our every action. Keeping hands clean through proper handwashing practices is one the most effective and important steps taken to control spreading germs and/or getting sick. People often touch their eyes, nose, and mouth-- places where many germs exist—with their hands numerous times each day without even noticing. Germs can also make their way onto our hands after using the toilet, handling raw foods, shaking hands with another person, or touching any object someone has sneezed or coughed on or around, for example.
With the height of flu season just ahead and other viruses and illnesses threatening our health this fall, it’s important to use the most basic sanitary practices to stay well. Simply washing hands with soap and clean, running water can prevent the spread of many diseases, illnesses and conditions and help people and communities stay healthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and nearly 1 out of every 6 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia.
For more information on the correct handwashing procedures view this brochure.
Tobacco products and their ingredients are designed
to be addictive with nicotineserving
as the primary chemical compound that causes dependence. According to the2012 Surgeon General’s Report, most people initiate
tobacco use before the age of 18, and because the teen brain is still
developing, youth are more vulnerable to nicotine addiction. Tobacco use
remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United
States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that
cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure cause more than 480,000 deaths each year.
Regardless of the age of initiation or the length
of time a person has used tobacco, quitting is possibleand
worth it. According to the CDC, the number of people who have quit
smoking successfully exceeds the number of people that currently smoke. Quitting
takes practice, and, even though it often takes more than one attempt to quit
successfully, chances of success increase with each quit attempt. It is never
too late to quit, and the body begins to heal shortly after stopping any form
of tobacco.
If you or someone you care about is
interested in being tobacco-free for the Great American Smokeout on November 19, 2015, preparing for
the day in advance increases the chances of success. JCPH recommends using this
nine day quit guide to help with planning a quit date. For
additional support with quitting tobacco, consider using some of the following free
resources:
·Call the Colorado QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or
visit www.coquitline.org.
·Attend
a free tobacco cessation group hosted by Lutheran Medical Center in
Wheat Ridge on Tuesdays at 12:00 pm or 5:30 pm. This
is a six week drop-in group that provides adults who want to quit smoking with
tools and support to achieve their goals. (You do not need to attend all
six weeks in order to participate.)
·Visit
www.tobaccofreeco.org for additional information about
secondhand smoke, Colorado tobacco laws, and resources to help with breaking
free from tobacco addiction.
Jefferson County Public Health’s
Tobacco Prevention Initiative is working with students, parents and community
members to educate about the harms of tobacco in our communities and to promote
tobacco-free living. For more information or to get involved, please visit: www.tobaccofreejeffco.com, email us at tobaccofree@jeffco.us or call Donna Viverette at
303-275-7555.
The Hungry For A Change Summit 2015, hosted by Hunger Free Colorado, was attended by two of theJCPH Nutrition Services/WIC staff on September 29, 2015. Hunger Free Colorado leads efforts to connect families and individuals to food resources and to fuel changes in systems, policies and social views, so no Coloradan goes hungry. Hunger Free Colorado is the state’s leading anti-hunger organization leveraging the power of collaboration, system change, policy change and social change to end hunger in Colorado. Below are a few highlights from the summit.
The Hunger Free Colorado Partnership with Kaiser Permanente connects patients to food and nutrition resources. At child wellness visits, patients are screened for food insecurity by asking: “When was the last time you worried whether your food would run out before you had money to buy more?” Patients with positive screens are referred electronically to a community specialist, who assess for other social needs and also (with client permission) fax a referral to Hunger Free Colorado who will reach out to each referred member and connect them to nutritional assistance programs or other nutritional resources.
“We Need to Think of Food Stamps as Medicine.” By reducing food insecurity, food stamps can decrease a child’s risk of:
Hospitalization
Poor health
Iron deficiency anemia
Deficits in cognitive development
Behavioral and emotional problems
1 in 7 Coloradans struggle with hunger, facing times when there is not enough money to buy food
1 in 5 kids are hungry and those under the age of 6 are most likely to be in poverty
More than 1 in 7 Colorado Seniors are unsure of when or where they will get their next meal.
Other topics at the Hungry for A Change Summit included:
Take Action To Address Childhood Hunger
Yes, We Can Impact Federal Policy
Creation of the Colorado Food Pantry Network
Helping Our Future by Helping Our Kids - Creative ways to expand access to summer and after-school meals that help benefit children’s cognitive abilities, physical development, school readiness and future eating habits.
Around the State in 50 Minutes - An interactive session to share and learn what others around the state are doing to alleviate and solve hunger.
For more information about Hunger Free Colorado and to learn how you can help
go to www.hungerfreecolorado.org. For an overview on the summit, including powerpoint presentation, story compilations and social media posts, visit the website.
“‘The Raising of America’ changes the way we
look at early child health and development,” said Sophia Yager, Jefferson
County Public Health nurse program manager and lead for the Health in Early
Childhood Collaborative. “Jefferson County can only benefit from considering
how to best support its youngest residents and their families. Through these
viewings, we hope to start those conversations.”
