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Black pregnant and postpartum people in Colorado were 1.9 times more likely to die during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy compared to the state's overall pregnant population, according to analysis of data between 2016 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than overall population

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

If the Kroger-Alberstons merger is approved, Gunnison's 6,000 residents would have to travel 65 miles to find a grocery store not owned by Kroger, which owns King Soopers in Colorado, according to the American Economic Liberties Project. (Galatas)

Corporate consolidation, lack of competition linked to rising grocery prices

As a federal judge considers a lawsuit aiming to block a proposed $25 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons, a new report detailed how …

Renewal Village's strong partnerships, including with the the Colorado Division of Housing and Adams County, helped tap four million federal dollars to create a new home for families experiencing homelessness. (Galatas)

Renewal Village adds 215 housing units for Denver's unhoused residents

Renewal Village, a converted Clarion Inn featuring 215 units of permanent supportive and transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness…

Access to affordable medicines is critical for managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, depression or asthma and preventing emergency treatment. (Adobe Stock)

Big Pharma siphoning off critical health center resource

As Congress heads back to work after the August recess, advocates for the nation's safety net Community Health Centers are urging lawmakers to end …

El acceso a medicamentos asequibles es fundamental para controlar enfermedades cr�nicas como la diabetes, la hipertensi�n, la depresi�n o el asma y prevenir atenci�n de emergencia. (Adobe Stock)

Grandes farmacéuticas desvían recursos críticos para centros de salud

Mientras el Congreso regresa a sesionar después del receso de agosto, los defensores de los Centros de Salud Comunitarios de la red de seguridad …

Colorado ranked 27th nationally for its typical daily incarceration rates, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Youth incarceration dropped 75% between 2000 and 2022

The number of young people locked up in juvenile justice facilities dropped from 108,000 in 2000 to just above 27,000 in 2022, according to a new …

A new poll found strong support for the Biden-Harris administration's agenda to lower prescription drug prices and stand up to big drug companies. (Adobe Stock)

Report details Big Pharma’s price-gouging patent tactics

As advocacy groups take a victory lap for moving lawmakers to finally allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for 10 widely-used medicines, a new …

Last Mile Education Fund estimates that investments that help 23,000 late-stage college students complete their STEM field degrees will generate $2.15 billion in wages over 10 years. (Adobe Stock)

Grants available for Colorado STEM students nearing graduation

Grants to help students overcome financial hurdles to complete degrees and certificates in science, technology, engineering, and math fields are now …

Black American farmers lost more than $300 billion worth of land in the 20th century, in part due to the USDA's discriminatory practices, research showed. (Lou W/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Farmers want more transparency on USDA discrimination payments

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is doling out direct payments to minority farmers and ranchers who the government had previously discriminated …

Lowry Ranch is important habitat for several Tier 1 species from the State Wildlife Action Plan, including the burrowing owl, northern leopard frog and swift fox. (Adobe Stock)

Aurora residents to continue opposition to fracking near reservoir, Superfund site

Aurora residents and environmental groups said they will continue to oppose fracking near the Aurora Reservoir, thousands of homes and 13 schools …

More than a quarter of Coloradans surveyed said they cut pills in half, skipped doses or did not fill prescriptions because of costs. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Most Coloradans can’t afford basic health care

More than 70% of Coloradans believe drug companies, hospitals and insurance companies charge too much, according to a new Consumer Healthcare …

A free pop-up farmer's market marks National Health Center Week. Colorado's 20 Community Health Centers operate 243 clinic sites, and serve one in five Child Health Plan Plus enrollees and nearly one in four Medicaid patients in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Celebrating safety-net health centers serving 1 in 7 Coloradans

On Monday, Salud Family Health Fort Collins staff were giving away bags filled with fruits and vegetables at a pop-up farmer's market for National …

Nearly a quarter of the 749 Colorado educators who got stipends in the 2022-23 school year were educators of color. (Adobe Stock)

CO educators earning degrees could get $10,000 to cover prep costs

Colorado has not yet recovered from the pandemic when it comes to fully staffing its public schools. This past school year, districts faced a …

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for assistance programs like SNAP, or Social Security benefits, even though they contribute to those programs by paying payroll and other taxes. (Adobe Stock)

Fact-checking GOP claims on immigrants

During last week's Republican National Convention, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Americans are not safe due to immigrants committing violent crimes…

Si se implementa, el Proyecto 2025 legalizar�a la discriminaci�n basada en la orientaci�n sexual y la identidad de g�nero, y eliminar�a t�rminos que incluyen

Grupos de derechos civiles hacen sonar alarma sobre Proyecto 2025

Grupos de derechos civiles hacen sonar la alarma sobre las posibles amenazas a la democracia estadounidense que plantea el Proyecto 2025, una hoja de …

In no state, county or metropolitan area in the United States can a worker earning the federal or prevailing state or local minimum wage afford a modest rental home at fair market rent by working a standard 40-hour work week, statistics show. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado housing costs 8th least affordable in nation

Colorado remains the eighth-least affordable state in the nation for housing, according to a new report from the National Low Income Housing …

Colorado hospitals and clinics have reported sharply increased numbers of uninsured people seeking care. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado posted 2nd-highest loss of Medicaid coverage in nation in May

In May, Colorado ranked second in the nation for the percentage of residents dropped from Medicaid health insurance rolls - including 500,000 who …

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits brought more than $700 million to local Colorado economies in 2017, creating more than $1.25 billion in economic activity. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Bill proposal would cut SNAP food assistance by $30 billion

One proposed version of the next Farm Bill, introduced by the Republican chair of the House Agriculture Committee, would cut the Supplemental …

Of more than 7,300 lawmakers nationwide, just 116, or 1.6%, currently or last worked in manual labor, service industry, clerical or labor union jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Working class missing in state legislatures

Half of Americans go to work every day in the service industry, doing clerical work or in construction and other manual labor jobs but fewer than 2% …

De m�s de 7.300 legisladores en todo el pa�s, s�lo 116, o el 1,6%, trabajaron actualmente o por �ltima vez en trabajos manuales, en la industria de servicios, administrativos o sindicalizados. (Adobe Stock)

Informe: Clase trabajadora sin representación en las legislaturas estatales

La mitad de los estadounidenses van a trabajar todos los días en la industria de servicios, haciendo trabajos administrativos o en la construcci&…

In early 2021, around four in ten adults in the U.S. reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. In Colorado, all behavioral health challenges have remained steady or increased since then.(Pcess609/Adobe Stock)

CO community mental health centers struggle with Medicaid drop

It's been about a year since the official end of the COVID public health emergency - which has led to a significant drop in Medicaid enrollments and a…

In 2023, more than a third of Colorado high schoolers with major depression received no treatment, according to a recent Mental Health America report. (Adobe Stock)

More residential care coming for children with acute mental health needs

Colorado lawmakers are investing more than $15 million to ensure children experiencing complex behavioral challenges, including trauma, major …

At least half of the $32.8 million to replace lead pipes will be prioritized for areas overburdened by pollution and decades of underinvestment, including communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Infrastructure Law brings $32.8 million to Colorado to replace lead pipes

Nearly $33 million from President Joe Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Law is headed to Colorado to help locate and remove hazardous lead pipes from …

The Pikes Peak Challenge helps provide support to brain injury survivors, including stroke victims, in Colorado, one of just two states in the nation with a brain injury organization. (Adobe Stock)

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Several hundred hikers are expected to climb to a summit of over 14,000 feet for this year's Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, an annual …

The Denver Post reports the total number of Coloradans with Medicaid health insurance has dropped by 30% since 2023, just below Texas and Utah. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 86,101 Colorado children removed from Medicaid insurance rolls

More than 4 million children in the U.S. lost their health insurance after automatic Medicaid coverage renewals enacted during the COVID public …

A new walk-in program provides immediate, in-person support for urgent mental health and substance use needs for anyone, regardless of their ability to pay, whether or not they are an existing client, or speak English. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Mental health urgent-care facility now available in northeast Boulder

Boulder and Broomfield County residents can now access mental health services the same way they can access urgent medical care. Dr. Nadia Haddad…

Older Coloradans who may have never been issued a birth certificate because they were born at home qualify for assistance getting vital documents, including identification cards but many cannot access Colorado's Necessary Documents Program. (Adobe Stock)

Cutting red tape to access IDs and other vital documents

Advocates are urging Colorado lawmakers to make key improvements to a state program seen as critical to helping people fleeing domestic violence or ex…

Decades of policies like redlining, that forced people of color into neighborhoods surrounded by industrial polluters, have led to a host of negative health outcomes, including cancers and premature death. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado lawmakers eye ways to reduce pollution in vulnerable communities

In 2021, Colorado lawmakers took a first step toward addressing decades of toxic pollution disproportionately impacting low-income neighborhoods and …

Decades of underinvestment in affordable housing, recently cited by outgoing HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, have dramatically impacted families with children. (Adobe Stock)

Renaissance marks quarter century serving homeless, low-income kids

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Renaissance Children's Center, which serves low-income families and those experiencing homelessness with …

Nearly eight in 10 Coloradans say they want to age in place in their communities, rather than entering assisted living facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Community-based services for older Coloradans at risk in Legislature

Advocates for people age 65 and older urged Colorado lawmakers to fully fund a program helping people remain in their homes and avoid placement in ass…

Nine in 10 voters across eight Mountain West states including Colorado want oil and gas companies, not federal and state governments, to pay for cleanup and restoration costs. (Adobe Stock)

West's Latino voters want conservation over development on public lands

Voters, including 74% of Republicans, 87% of Independents and 96% of Democrats, would support candidates in elections who prioritize conservation on …

Denver's Stout Street Recuperative Care Center is a facility for people experiencing homelessness to stay for several weeks while healing from a sickness or injury. (Galatas)

Improving health outcomes for homeless linked to housing

Health care providers in Colorado have been drawn into America's homelessness crisis, and are adding institutional weight into a push for solutions - …

Over the past two years, corporate executives have been explicit in earnings reports about how they have exploited their pricing power to boost profits, and how they will continue to do so even as inflation comes down. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 'Greedflation' primary driver of higher consumer prices

As corporate profits remain at all-time highs, a new report shows that more than half of rising consumer prices in 2023 were caused by corporate …

Latinos account for 47% of agricultural field workers and 46% of construction laborers in the U.S. and face extreme summer heat threats due to climate change. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Climate change challenging Latinos' health and heritage

As climate change makes extreme weather events more common globally, Latinos often face the most significant effects to their health, safety…

In 2022, 29.3 million adults, representing 11.2% of the population, reported having three or more chronic conditions. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Colorado 12th healthiest state in nation as chronic conditions rise

Colorado is the 12th healthiest state in the nation, according to the latest America's Health Rankings report. But the number of Coloradans dealing …

Private developers continue to construct high-end housing that provides a safe haven for investors including hedge funds. Nearly 23,000 Denver metro area apartments sit empty as Colorado's homeless population continues to rise. (Adobe Stock)

Vigil memorializes Denver homeless deaths in 2023

A vigil was held yesterday, the shortest day of the year, to memorialize the deaths of Denver residents experiencing homelessness in 2023. Cathy …

Community-based organizations applied for grants from $5,000 to $20,000, to support and actively promote the Healthy School Meals for All program locally. (Adobe Stock)

Free Healthy School Meals for Public School Students Underway

After Colorado voters approved a measure to provide free meals to all public school students regardless of their ability to pay last year, 41 …

Farms are in a unique position to slow global warming by reducing methane emissions, which are more than 80 times more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2. (Adobe Stock)

Removing barriers and making space for next generation farmers

As Congress drafts the next Farm Bill, the National Young Farmers Coalition is calling on lawmakers to tackle climate disruptions and racial equity …

Solar canopies are expected to produce nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, and eliminate 70,000 metric tons of climate pollution over the next decade. (Adobe Stock)

Solar canopies throw shade on Colorado school parking lots

Colorado schools are joining the struggle to hold off the worst impacts of climate change and lower their energy bills by installing solar canopies on…

Just 42% of hospitals informed patents when they could be eligible for charity care, and 45% of nonprofit hospitals routinely send medical bills to patients who quality for charity care. (Adobe Stock)

Navigating the high cost of hospital care and avoiding medical debt

Nearly one in three Americans carry some form of medical debt, and consumer groups are warning patients about the risk of medical bankruptcy posed by …

Starting January 1, 2024, a pregnancy opens a special enrollment period for health insurance, after Colorado lawmakers passed House Bill 22-1289. Coverage is retroactive to the month a pregnancy was certified by a health provider. (Adobe Stock)

Health Exchange Open for Coloradans Dropped from Medicaid Rolls

Coloradans who were dropped from the state's Medicaid health insurance plan, Health First Colorado, can sign up for new coverage before open …

Food to Power, a group in Colorado Springs, has redistributed more than $6 million of healthy groceries to struggling families since 2013. (Adobe Stock)

Harvest Celebration Marks Decades-Long Quest to Address Food Insecurity

This year's Food to Power Harvest Festival marks 10 years since Colorado Springs residents launched a food rescue project to get fruits and vegetables…

Regulation 28 is a result of a Colorado law aiming to reduce climate pollution from buildings by seven percent by 2026, and to reduce energy use by 20% by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

CO Targets Apartment, Commercial, Industrial Building Climate Pollution

Colorado wants to reduce climate pollution from apartments and commercial buildings 50,000 square feet and larger, but there is growing concern …

Most signage throughout Eagle Valley, on roadways and at trailheads, is English-only. (Iniciativa EVOM)

Eagle Valley Works to Make Outdoor Recreation More Accessible

Eagle County is one of Colorado's most prized outdoor recreation destinations, drawing visitors from across the globe. But 20% of the county's …

Intimate-partner violence includes violence, abuse and controlling behavior committed by a partner or former partner. It can result in long-lasting adverse mental-health outcomes, and is a leading cause of homelessness and housing instability. (Adobe Stock)

Housing First Model Helps Domestic-Violence Survivors

Victims of domestic violence who are able to access housing -- at their own pace, and with support for as long as the survivor needs help -- …

Nationally, nearly 70 million Americans live in areas without enough dental providers. (Adobe Stock)

One Million Coloradans Lack Access to Dental Care

Just 49% of Coloradans are able to access the dental care they need, and health advocates say increasing the number of licensed dental therapists -- …

Greenhouse gas emissions from homes and buildings are responsible for an estimated 20 percent of the nation's total energy-related climate pollution, and are the third-largest contributor of emissions in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Xcel Plan to Reduce Emissions Includes Untested Technologies

In 2021, Colorado lawmakers required utilities supplying natural gas for heating homes and businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4% by 2025…

Each year, there are 4,000 job openings for registered nurses, and 3,700 unfilled elementary and secondary educator positions, according to state data. (Adobe Stock)

Free Tuition at Colorado Colleges for High-Demand Jobs

Colorado will give students pursuing degrees or credentials in high-demand fields free tuition at the state's 19 community and technical colleges star…

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CO: Social Justice