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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 …

Critics of Colorado Amendment 80 warn the move would siphon taxpayer dollars away from already underfunded public schools into private religious schools. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

CO Amendment 80 could prompt private school voucher foothold

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

Hasta ahora, 34 mercados de agricultores, centros de alimentos y establecimientos minoristas en todo el estado ofrecen Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus. (Adobe Stock)

Programa piloto hace que productos frescos sean accesibles a más familias en CO

A medida que la cosecha de otoño de Colorado se acelera, las personas que participan en SNAP, el programa anteriormente conocido como cupones de …

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…

Nearly three of four Colorado voters surveyed want lawmakers to ensure full funding for Healthy School Meals for All. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado parents face September 30 deadline to help fund school meals

Colorado students will not go hungry this school year, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022. Their …

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 …

School-based mental and behavioral health services not only help prevent problems, they also improve education and future employment outcomes. (Adobe Stock)

Mental health checklist for Colorado students returning to school

Transitioning back to school can bring as much stress as excitement for many students and a new checklist created by the group Inseparable aims to hel…

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 …

The Valdez family of Aurora officially added new family member Xavi through adoption on January 15th, 2019. (Misty Valdez)

Colorado companies recognized for adoption, foster care benefits

Companies in Colorado and across the nation are adding adoption and foster care benefits for workers, according to the 18th annual list of 100 Best …

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 …

No existen requisitos de ingresos ni de inscripci�n para que los ni�os participen en el programa estatal de Comidas de Verano, que sirve desayuno, almuerzo, meriendas y cena a todos los j�venes hasta los 18 a�os. (Adobe Stock)

Comidas de verano para niños disponibles para llevar y entregar en zonas rurales

Con las cafeterías escolares cerradas durante el verano, grupos comunitarios y organizaciones sin fines de lucro están trabajando para …

A 2022 survey found that six in ten LGBTQ youths in Colorado reported experiencing symptoms of depression, and 45% seriously considered suicide. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado first in nation to offer free mental health care to youths

Amanda Dodson first noticed signs for a pilot program called "I Matter" at her ten-year-old daughter Hailey's school. After looking into it, she was …

Women represent nearly two-thirds of Americans 65 or older living with Alzheimer's disease. (Adobe Stock)

New online tool helps people with dementia document future care decisions

The number of U.S. residents aged 65 or older living with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is expected to double from nearly 7 …

When the school year ends, millions of children from households with low incomes lose access to the school meals they rely on. Help is available. (Adobe Stock)

CO families must sign up to get $120 per child for food through Summer EBT

Colorado families must sign up before the end of April to receive $120 per child to buy food through the new Summer EBT program approved by Congress…

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 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 …

Holding back feelings and not speaking up when someone makes an off-color comment can lead to depression and health problems including immune dysfunction, hypertension and even cancer. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for navigating difficult conversations this holiday season

In today's politically polarized world, holiday office parties and family gatherings can lead to increased tensions, arguments and even long term …

Financial literacy fairs allow young people to make mistakes with their finances in a realistic but safe environment while developing problem-solving skills around their finances. (Adobe Stock)

CO students get bites of reality in financial planning

Credit unions in Colorado and across the Mountain West are helping high school students tackle money challenges through "Bites of Reality" fairs…

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 -- …

It costs single parents in Colorado $16,333 per year for center-based child care, which is 41% of the state's median income. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Colorado Ranks 15th for Child Well-Being

Colorado moved up one spot overall, from 16 to 15, in this year's Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states …

Parcels of land downstream of Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch have been subdivided into 35- to 50-acre large-lot tracts. (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust)

Preserving Cultural, Environmental Legacy in Southern Colorado

Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch sits in a dramatic canyon in the foothills of southern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, right next to the Rio Grande National …

If left unchecked, and without access to medications, chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can turn into complications such as diabetic neuropathy and coronary vascular disease. (Adobe Stock)

Critical Medicines Closer to West Denver Metro Residents

After 18 months of planning and renovations, STRIDE community health center has opened its second pharmacy inside the Wheat Ridge clinic at 29th St…

A new training program developed by the High Plains Research Network Community Advisory Council is helping community members intervene and prevent suicides in rural areas across Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's Rural Communities Mobilizing to Prevent Suicide

Community advisory committees across rural Colorado are working to better understand the mental-health needs for community members including farmers…

The scholarship initiative was created with the Colorado Department of Higher Education to increase the attainment of postsecondary credentials and degrees for underserved students in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

CO Scholarship Initiative Invests in Students Experiencing Homelessness

More than 15,000 students in Colorado have experienced homelessness, and a new grant from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative will help …

A recent survey found that 65% of parents think their school has done an

New Survey Spotlights Parents’ Mindsets in 2022-2023 School Year

More than half of parents in Colorado and across the nation continue to be concerned about children's mental health, according to the latest survey …

It is estimated that some 89,000 Colorado children will grieve the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. (Adobe Stock)

Pandemic Funds Brought Grief Care to More Colorado Students

A groundbreaking bereavement service is expanding efforts to reach kids where they are: in schools, churches and other community sites. Emily Napier…

Nearly half of all Hispanic-Americans live in counties that frequently violate ground-level ozone standards. (Adobe Stock)

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

The public has until February 13th to weigh in on new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce methane pollution at oil and gas…

The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 16 million metric tons of methane annually, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Methane Waste Rules Welcomed to Improve Public Health

Public-health advocates are welcoming a new proposal to reduce harmful air pollution by limiting methane waste at oil and gas facilities. Sabrina …

Children living near refineries, highways and other sources of air pollution are disproportionately at risk of developing respiratory illness. (Adobe Stock)

Connecting CO Health Outcomes to Climate Solutions, Lower Utility Bills

A successful program that helps low-income households weatherize homes and lower energy bills is setting its sights on improving the health outcomes o…

Since 1999, the number of opiate-related deaths has increased every year, and overdoses have risen by 44% since the onset of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Moving Opioid Treatment into Primary Care to Expand Access

Each year some 68,000 people in Colorado and across the U.S. die from opiate overdoses, largely due to lack of treatment, and federally qualified …

Proposition FF includes grants school districts can use to purchase locally produced food, which proponents argued will help support local farmers and strengthen regional food systems. (Adobe Stock)

Proponents: Prop FF Key to Reducing Hunger in Colorado Springs

Proposition FF on Colorado's November ballot aims to ensure all students can access healthy, nutritious food at school, at no cost to families…

Colorado's income taxes fund two-thirds of the state's General Fund, the vast majority of which pays for public K-12 and higher education, health care, human services and the state's corrections system. (Adobe Stock)

Tax Cut on Ballot Would Cost Coloradans Earning Less Than $91,000

Proponents of an initiative on the November ballot to lower the state income tax rate by less than 1% say the measure will allow Coloradans to keep mo…

Approximately 74% of people who signed up for health insurance through Connect For Health Colorado qualified for financial help to cover the cost of their plan. (Adobe Stock)

Health Insurance Tax Credits Extended During Open Enrollment

Some 155,000 Coloradans who signed up for health insurance through Connect For Health Colorado were able to save 900 dollars per year on average throu…

Across the nation, one in five children is living with a mental health disorder, but fewer than half will ever receive treatment. (Adobe Stock)

Moving the Needle on Children’s Mental Health

Children's Hospital Colorado has increased its mental-health inpatient, outpatient and day services by more than 50% to address what it called a …

Three in four good-paying jobs in Colorado require a college degree or other post-secondary credentials. (Adobe Stock)

Deep Data Dive Finds Cost Biggest Barrier for Native Students

The biggest obstacle facing Indigenous students completing college degrees is cost, according to a new collaborative study by the National Native …

Some 18,000 children on average experience homelessness each year in Colorado, according to most recent Colorado Department of Education data. (Adobe Stock)

Solving Homelessness Key to Success in Multiple National Priorities

"Opportunity Starts at Home," a short documentary film released this week by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, exposes how housing …

To date, more than 550,000 individuals have used the Free Will platform to write a legal will. (Adobe Stock)

Online Tool Helps Create Legally Valid Will in 20 Minutes

August is National Make-a-Will Month, a gentle reminder to some seven in ten Americans who don't currently have a will or estate plan that it's never …

In the decade preceding the pandemic, Colorado's child poverty rate fell by nearly 30%, one of the largest declines in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Ranks High in Child Well-Being as Kids Face Mental-Health Crisis

Colorado ranks 16th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

Access to Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) funds varies greatly by county in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Fewer Colorado Families Living in Poverty Receive TANF Cash Assistance

Colorado and other states are hoarding more than $6 billion intended for struggling families, according to new analysis. In 2020, Colorado denied …

Over 200 Colorado youths age out of foster care each year in the state, without being adopted or placed with extended family members. (Adobe Stock)

Help for Foster Youths During Stressful Holiday Season

DENVER - Some 24,000 teenagers in foster care across the nation officially become adults each year; in Colorado it happens on their 18th birthday…

Working Americans pay a higher tax rate on their wages than people who are wealthy pay for passive income gained through investments in stocks and bonds. (Adobe Stock)

Wealthy Coloradans Urge Congress to Raise Their Taxes

DENVER - Some 200 wealthy taxpayers and business owners, including 14 in Colorado, are asking Congress to raise their taxes. An open letter …

Parents' poor mental health due to pandemic-related disruptions can be a contributing factor in negative mental-health outcomes for children. (Pixabay)

Helping Children Navigate Through Trauma

DENVER, Colo. -- School closures, social isolation, gaps in health-care access and other pandemic-related disruptions have taken a toll on children's …

A national universal paid-leave program is projected to generate two million jobs and more than $22 billion in economic activity per year. (Vitalik Radko/Deposit Photos)

Advocates Push Paid Family and Medical Leave as "Critical" Infrastructure

DENVER -- As the Biden administration continues to promote its plan to address the nation's crumbling roads and bridges, a coalition of worker …

Colorado ranks eighth in the nation as a state with the least affordable and available units, nearing the rate in Texas, Florida and Delaware. (Pixabay)

Need for Affordable Housing in Colorado Dwarfs Available Units

DENVER - The need for affordable housing continues to outgrow supply in Colorado and across the United States, according to a new report. For every 1…

An additional $1,000 in tax credits reduces the incidence of low birthweight births by about three out of every 100 children born to mothers likely to qualify for the credit. (Pixy)

Redirecting Tax Expenditures Could Help CO Achieve Equity Goals

DENVER -- The Colorado state auditor's office has released a series of reports on tax expenditures, including deductions, exemptions, credits and …

Two-thirds of older people surveyed last year report they're more afraid of running out of money in retirement than death. (EPA/Picryl)

Women's Wage Gap Linked to Retirement Insecurity

DENVER - Women in Colorado earn 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, and that wage gap plays a deciding role in how and when women can securely …

President Joe Biden's COVID relief package includes $160 billion to fund speedier vaccine distribution. (CBS4)

Colorado Children's Groups Urge U.S. Senate to Pass COVID Relief

DENVER -- Colorado advocates for children, low-income workers and other vulnerable populations are urging Congress to pass President Joe Biden's …

Medical aid-in-dying is currently available to more than one in five Americans. It is authorized in nine states, including Colorado, and the District of Columbia. (Pixabay)

Report: Medical Aid-in-Dying Law Works as Intended for Terminally Ill Coloradans

DENVER -- A new report suggests Colorado's medical aid-in-dying law, passed in 2016, is working as intended, by helping qualified terminally ill …

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CO: Family/Father Issues