JCPH recognizes the 2016 Public Health Champions of the Year

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.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Bans Smoking in Public Housing

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has implemented new rules mandating smoke-free policies in all public housing by July 30, 2018. The rule covers 3,100 public housing authorities nationwide, including 47 in Colorado.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has been working with public housing authorities and local public health agencies for the past 10 years to reduce the health effects of residents’ exposure to secondhand smoke. Already, 22 of the state’s 47 public housing authorities have implemented smoke-free policies. The health department will continue to support HUD’s smoke-free regulations. In Jefferson County, eight public housing facilities have already adopted smoke-free policies, largely thanks to the collaboration between the Jefferson County Public Health Tobacco Prevention Initiative, Tobacco-Free Jeffco Alliance and the Jefferson County Housing Authority. The Housing Authority was recognized as a 2016 Public Health Champion for its efforts.

Left to right: Leslie Ross, Jefferson County Commissioner Lizzy Szabo, Jefferson County Commissioner Don Rosier, Henry Wehrdt and Jefferson County Commissioner Casey Tighe stand at the Public Health Champions Luncheon March 30 to recognize Ross and Wehrdt's work in tobacco prevention.

“

Every Coloradan deserves to live in a smoke-free environment,” said Dr. Larry Wolk, health department executive director and the state’s chief medical officer. “This new rule will help protect those living in public housing from the dangerous health effects of secondhand smoke.”

There is no safe level of secondhand smoke. It can travel through ventilation systems and around doors, windows and even walls, affecting the health of families living in multi-unit housing complexes. Research shows secondhand smoke increases the risk for heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory problems.

A Colorado study found smoke-free policies in multifamily housing reduced secondhand smoke exposure and associated health problems. Such policies also have been shown to decrease the number of cigarettes smoked per day while increasing the number of smokers who quit.

HUD’s rule prohibits smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes in all living units, indoor common areas, offices and outdoor areas within 25 feet of public housing authority buildings. It does not cover privately funded housing developments and does not restrict electronic smoking devices such as e-cigarettes.

The rule allows public housing authorities to implement additional smoking restrictions such as property-wide smoking bans, designated smoking areas, banning e-cigarettes, or creating buffers around playgrounds and other outdoor areas.

The state health department provides funding, resources and technical support to local public health agencies and other grantees working to reduce secondhand smoke exposure in multifamily housing.

All Boulder County housing authorities are smoke-free. The Delta County Health Department used state funding to help the Delta Housing Authority expand its smoke- and tobacco-free policy to cover 171 units. At the tight properties where the Jefferson County Housing Authority implemented smoke- and vapor-free policies, approximately 1,200 low-income residents in 607 apartments are now protected from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure.

While some residents resist smoke-free policies, most applaud them. The Jefferson County Housing Authority has received praise for protecting residents with asthma, non-smokers with other health issues and even pets.

“I have been hearing from residents who say that smoking outside has helped them cut back and even think about quitting,” said Leslie Ross, housing program specialist for the Jefferson County Housing Authority. “And their neighbors are happy because they don’t smell the smoke in their units anymore.”

Smoking remains the number one cause of death and disease in Colorado, killing more than 5,000 Coloradans each year. About one in six Colorado adults use tobacco, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Jefferson County Youth Stand Up to Big Tobacco and Break Up with Nic O. Tine

National Kick Butts Day, an annual day of activism empowering youth in local communities to “stand out, speak up, and seize control” against tobacco use and the targeting of youth by tobacco companies is Wednesday March 15, 2017. 


Tobacco use continues to plague our youth, and the cigarette and smokeless tobacco companies still heavily target youth spending more than 9 billion dollars on advertising and promotional expenses in the U.S. The Surgeon General reports that nearly nine out of 10 people who smoke, start by age 18, and 99% start before the age of 26.

Although Kick Butts Day is only one day out of the year, Breathe Easy (BE) Teams in Jefferson County are participating in activities to reduce the toll of tobacco in their schools and communities, thus making every day a day of activism and empowerment. BE Teams are youth clubs that are supported by their high schools and Jefferson County Public Health that educate their peers and community members about the problem of tobacco and advocate for sustainable solutions, including policy change. 


During the month of February, BE Teams participated in an interactive activity where they wrote break up and rejection letters to “Nic O. Tine,” a fictional character representing all tobacco products and the tobacco industry. Letters stated, “You’re killing my mom – stop taking her money,” and “I need a breather. You’re killing me.” The BE Teams helped organize and facilitate this activity during their schools’ lunch hours in order to educate, involve and inspire their peers. Watch Jeffco Public Schools’ video highlighting the BE Teams’ work!

For more information about efforts in Jefferson County to reduce the toll of tobacco, visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com, email tobaccofree@jeffco.us or call 303-275-7555.

St. Anthony Hospital, Public Health and Jeffco Public Schools Team Up to Keep Youth Hydrated

The pink water bottle Emmy Adams, a junior at Golden High School, carries around isn’t just a way to stay hydrated. It’s a chance for change.

Emmy Adams, president and founder
of the Golden High School Environment
Club fills her water bottle at one of the
school's new filling stations.

“I think that by having refillable drink stations, it helps people drink more water so much more because it is so much more accessible and easier to make the right choice in what you’re drinking,” said Adams, president and founder of the school’s environmental club. The club was instrumental in highlighting the need for water filling stations at Golden High School.

Water filling stations are just one way to encourage children and teens to drink more water and less of other drinks, like sugary beverages. Healthy Jeffco and its community coalitions, specifically the School Wellness Coalition and the Jeffco Sips Smart Coalition, are working to increase healthy beverage consumption through education and collaboration. Key partners in this effort include, Centura Health’s St. Anthony Hospital, Jeffco Public Schools and Jefferson County Public Health.

It is estimated that more than half of children in the U.S. don’t drink enough water. A national study published in June 2015 in the American Journal of Public Health found that more than half of American children are dehydrated at any time.

Thanks to the generous contribution from St. Anthony Hospital, eight Jefferson County public schools now have water bottle refill stations to help keep youth and staff hydrated. In addition, posters encouraging healthy beverage consumption were distributed throughout the schools.

Golden High School currently has two filling
stations, thanks to donations from Centura Health's
St. Anthony Hospital. The school also received
donations from other community organizations,
which means it will be receiving four additional
water bottle filling stations soon.

“Centura Health believes that high quality health happens in our clinics and in the community,” said Dr. Kimberly Bentrott, a Primary Care Physician with Centura Health Physicians Group. “This project is a great example of health happening in schools, and we are proud to be a partner of this work.”

Golden High School currently has two water filling stations, and thanks to donations from other community partners and the hard work of the environment club, four more are on the way.

“People definitely use it,” said Mike Mendoza, a teacher at Golden High School and the sponsor for the environmental club. “It’s just becoming the new norm.”

Drinking water has become a game for the students at Golden High School. Many of them carry around plastic water bottles and throw them in complicated flips to land on the water filling station sensor pad.

Shamik Bhat, a senior at Golden High School,
fills his water bottle in one of the two
new water filling stations at the school.

Some of them, like Emmy, even regularly check the LED display on the filling station to see how many plastic bottles have been saved. The first week after the stations were installed, Emmy said she checked each hour.

Not only do the water filling stations fulfill the Healthy Jeffco mission to ensure better access and education about healthy beverages, but they also support the Jefferson County Public Health Environmental Health Services goal of maintaining healthy environments. Water filling stations reduce plastic waste from water bottles and other drink containers.

“This planet is such an amazing place that we live in, and there’s just so much to explore and do, and it just makes me realize that you can’t do anything if you don’t have clean air to drink and clean air to breathe,” Adams said, smiling as she explained that her passion for the environment is what makes her want to advocate for sustainable changes, like the refillable drink stations. “My generation are the ones that are really going to have to take action.”

Emmy Adams, junior at Golden High School and president and founder of the school's environment club, fills her water bottle at one of the school's new water filling stations. Both of the school's stations have saved the environment more than 2,000 plastic water bottles. 

Photos by Nikki Work // Video by Tony Aaron Fuller

“Put Your Best Fork Forward” - March is National Nutrition Month

Jefferson County Public Health and the JCPH WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Program encourage everyone to “Put Your Best Fork Forward” for this year’s National Nutrition Month®.  

“Put Your Best Fork Forward” acts as a reminder that each bite counts. Making just small shifts in our food choices, can add up over time. More specifically this year’s theme focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. 

Making small changes during National Nutrition Month®, and over time, helps improve health now and into the future. 

The National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests everyone try the following five ways to make eating healthier easier: 

1. Create an eating style that includes a variety of your favorite, healthful foods. 
2. Practice cooking more at home, and experiment with healthier ingredients.
3. How much we eat is as important as what we eat. Eat and drink the right amount for you, as MyPlate, a healthy eating tool from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, encourages us to do.
4. Find activities that you enjoy and be physically active most days of the week.
5. Manage your weight and lower your health risks by consulting a registered dietitian nutritionist. Registered Dietitian Nutritonists (RDNs) can provide sound, easy-to-follow personalized nutrition advice to meet your lifestyle, preferences and health-related needs.

Eating healthy also means paying close attention to what you and your family are drinking. Many parents and caregivers are not aware of the hidden sugar in many of the beverages that they give to their children. That’s why Jefferson County Public Health, in conjunction with the Healthy Beverage Partnership,  is promoting a new campaign aimed at educating parents and caregivers about the harmful effects of sugar, and informing them of the high sugar content in many of the beverages they may be giving to their kids. 

Parents are encouraged to visit www.hidden-sugar.org and take a pledge to reduce the amount of sugary drinks they provide to their children. Pledge to serve your family healthy beverages for 30 days and you’ll be automatically entered to win a family plus membership to the Denver Zoo, Children’s Museum, or the Museum of Nature and Science. 

JCPH also has more about this topic on display in the Jefferson County libraries throughout the months of March and April, with educational handouts available. 

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day is celebrated March 8 and raises awareness of registered dietitian nutritionists as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services. JCPH recognizes RDNs for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives. Click here to download flyer and Meet the JCPH RDNs. You can also learn more about what they do for the JCPH WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Program by watching this video. 

For more information on National Nutrition Month, please visit Eat Right, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Visit http://jeffco.us/public-health for more information on Jefferson County Public Health and the WIC Program, one of the communituy nutrition resources JCPH offers.

The Jefferson County WIC Program is an active member of Healthy Jeffco, a network of over 300 community partners working collectively to make Jefferson County a healthier place to live, learn, work and play.

APHA Invites YOU to Help with the 1 Billion Steps Challenge

By April 9, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has a goal of taking 1 billion steps, and needs your help.

One of the easiest ways to improve your health is to walk — going for a 5-10 minute walk before breakfast, after dinner or up and down the hall while talking on the phone or during television commercials is a quick and easy way to get more exercise during the day.

Starting on Jan. 9, the APHA encouraged anyone interested to sync their step-counting device, such as a Fitbit or a smart phone, or to enter their steps manually on the National Public Health Week website. The challenge runs until April 9, the end of National Public Health Week. Walk on your own or with a team — just start walking!

Dr. Margaret Huffman, Director of Jefferson County Public Health's Community Health Services, along with some Public Health Nurses, have developed a team for the APHA Billion Steps Challenge. The team has a goal of walking 380 miles. They have also challenged the public health nurses from Wyoming, who have also created a team for the Billion Steps program.

Dr. Huffman is the current president of the Public Health Nurses Association of Colorado (PHNAC).

To learn more about the 1 Billion Steps Challenge, including how to register and get others involved, click here.  

Healthy Jeffco, a network of more than 300 community partners dedicated to furthering our community’s health, also has an Active Living coalition. To learn more or get involved, visit http://www.healthyjeffco.com/activeliving.

Have a Happy — and Safe — St. Patrick’s Day

Public Health wishes you a happy and safe St. Patty’s Day 2017. 

If you’re celebrating the Patron Saint of Ireland on March 17 with a pint Green Beer, remember that moderation is key.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a variety of short- and long-term health risks are associated with alcohol consumption, including motor vehicle crashes, sexual risk behaviors, violence, high blood pressure and various cancers, like breast cancer. 

The more you drink, the higher the risk.

The 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that if you consume alcohol, you do so in moderation — up to one drink per day for women, two drinks per day for men and never for underage persons or pregnant women.

One drink is considered 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor.

Binge drinking — or a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol content to .08 percent or higher — is more than 4 drinks in a single occasion for women or more than 5 drinks for men.

More than half the alcohol consumed by adults in the U.S. is consumed by binge drinking, and binge drinking is associated with many health problems, like unintentional injuries, alcohol poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases, liver disease, unintended pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage and more. 

Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to drive impaired than non-binge drinkers, according to the CDC.

In 2016, nearly 400 impaired drivers were arrested on St. Patrick’s Day in Colorado. In 2017, that number more than 500, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

This year, be safe AND have fun on St. Patrick’s Day. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation.