Public News Service

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)

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

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…

Restorative justice programs have increased the justice system's capacity to meet the needs of those harmed by adolescent misbehavior. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Report: Diverting youth away from the justice system is working

Efforts to keep young people out of the criminal justice system are working, according to a new Sentencing Project report. Elie Zwiebel, attorney …

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…

La Gu�a del Programa Local de Alimentos de Colorado puede ayudar a agricultores, ganaderos, distritos escolares y padres de familia a conectarse con los recursos disponibles a trav�s de organizaciones que apoyan la iniciativa Comidas Escolares Saludables para Todos, las agencias estatales y los Servicios de Alimentaci�n y Nutrici�n de USDA. (Adobe Stock)

Nueva guía ayuda a agricultores locales y escuelas a servir comidas sanas

Colorado está trabajando para impulsar a las comunidades agrícolas del estado mediante la obtención de más alimentos frescos y nut…

The Colorado Local Food Program Guidebook can help farmers, ranchers, school districts and parents connect with resources available through organizations supporting the Healthy School Meals for All initiative, state agencies, and U-S-D-A Food and Nutrition Services. (Adobe Stock)

New guidebook aims to help local farmers and schools serve healthy meals

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

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 …

Colorado's share of Healthy School Meals for All, approved by voters in 2022, was meant to be paid for by Coloradans who earn $300,000 or more per year. (Adobe Stock)

Healthy School Meals for All program faces $24 million budget gap

Colorado lawmakers are considering ways to address a projected $24 million funding shortfall in the Healthy School Meals for All program, and grants …

Colorado's I Matter program provides adolescents in crisis access to six free mental-health counseling sessions, with referrals for further help if it is necessary. (Pexels)

CO lawmakers ponder several measures to boost children's mental health

Advocates say Colorado legislative leaders are working to make the state a leader in addressing the youth mental health crisis. At least nine bills …

The Colorado Avalanche and Xcel Energy are helping fundraise for Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit that in 2023 helped more than 38,289 Colorado households through energy efficiency gains, connecting with community solar gardens and crisis-intervention services. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Avalanche scores an assist on energy bills

The Colorado Avalanche has teamed up with Xcel Energy to generate funds to help people struggling to pay their energy bills this winter. Every time …

The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, Feeding Colorado, Hunger Free Colorado, Nourish Colorado and other advocates across the state are calling on Colorado's Congressional delegation to help avoid massive funding cuts for WIC in the federal government's 2024 budget. (Adobe Stock)

25,000 Colorado families could lose access to food and health assistance

Congress is running out of time to fully fund a program that provides food and health support for breastfeeding moms, and kids up to age five…

Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, Feeding Colorado, Hunger Free Colorado, Nourish Colorado y otros defensores en todo el estado est�n pidiendo a la delegaci�n del Congreso de CO su ayuda para evitar recortes masivos de fondos para WIC en el presupuesto del gobierno federal para 2024. (Adobe Stock)

25,000 familias de CO podrian perder acceso a atención médica y alimentaria

El Congreso se está quedando sin tiempo para financiar completamente un programa que proporciona apoyo alimentario y de salud a madres lactantes …

States wanting to implement Summer EBT this coming summer need to have plans in place by early 2024. (Adobe Stock)

Special session could boost food security for kids in summer

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has called a special legislative session after voters rejected plans to provide property tax relief. Polis says he also …

Los Estados que deseen implementar el EBT de este pr�ximo verano deben tener planes para principios de 2024. (Adobe Stock)

Sesión especial aumentaría seguridad alimentaria para niños en verano

El gobernador de Colorado, Jared Polis, convocó a una sesión legislativa especial después de que votantes rechazaran los planes para …

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 …

Harmful chemicals including lead, particulate matter, pesticides, and phthalates added to plastics, impair brain development in children. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Toxic chemicals stealing kids’ future potential

Children of color and from low-income families in Colorado and across the nation are not only exposed to more dangerous toxic chemicals - including le…

During the 2023-24 school year, cafeterias at Edgewater Elementary, Lumberg Elementary and Jefferson Jr/Sr High School are serving family-inspired recipes once a week. (Adobe Stock)

CO pilot program prioritizes healthy, culturally relevant school meals

Two Colorado mothers are helping lead a school food pilot program within the Jefferson County School District in Edgewater in an effort to not only pr…

Symptoms of asthma are similar to the more common condition of bronchiolitis, and taking medicines designed for asthma alone can be risky. (Adobe Stock)

Low Value Care Costs Patients and Payers $134 Million Per Year

Coloradans received nearly 2 million potentially unnecessary health care services in 2021, at a cost of some $134 million for patients and health …

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics help patients navigate the intersections between behavioral health care, physical health care, social services and other programs. (Adobe Stock)

Clinics Improving Mental and Behavioral Health Standards

A state-federal partnership is helping safety-net mental health centers in Colorado deepen the services they provide, which is improving access and …

Last summer, more than 2 million free meals and snacks were served to kids across Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Summer Free Meals for Kids Program in Full Swing

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has proclaimed July "Summer Meals for Kids and Teens Awareness Month," and some 645 sites are serving free meals across the …

El verano pasado, se sirvieron m�s de 2 millones de comidas y refrigerios gratuitos a ni�os en todo Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Programa de comidas gratis de verano para niños en pleno apogeo

El gobernador de Colorado, Jared Polis, proclamó julio como "Mes de concientización sobre las comidas de verano para niños y …

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

GOP Budget Cuts Could Push a Million People Into Homelessness

Colorado's minimum wage workers would have to work 94 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, according to a new report. Even after …

Despite global promises to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, oil and gas production is nearing record levels in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Health Costs of Oil, Gas Production $77B Annually

Air pollution from oil and gas production contributes to thousands of premature deaths and childhood asthma cases each year, according to new …

Young people are learning how to get their peers to open up about mental health and substance use challenges, and how to connect them with trusted adults and mental health professionals. (Adobe Stock)

Tapping Teens to Connect Youth in Mental Distress with Support

One in five teens in the U.S. will experience a mental health challenge before they turn 18, but 64% of them won't seek help. A new training program …

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 …

Colorado school districts creating a local food advisory council will be eligible for funding to purchase food for school meals directly from local farmers and ranchers. (Adobe Stock)

State on Track to Roll Out School Meal Program

Colorado is one step closer to ensuring all kids can access healthy food at school regardless of their ability to pay, after Gov. Jared Polis signed …

Recognizing urgent maternal warning signs, providing timely treatment, and delivering respectful, quality care can prevent many pregnancy-related deaths. (Adobe Stock)

Drilling Down Into Social Factors Linked to Unequal Health Outcomes

Black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy than white women, even though more than eight in 10 pregnancy-related deaths are …

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 …

Since the onset of COVID 19, the average American now spends 13 hours each day looking at some kind of blue light-emitting screen. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Limiting Exposure to Blue Light from Screens

The pandemic forced many Americans to work and learn from home, and health experts are increasingly concerned about the potentially harmful impact of …

It costs taxpayers $13,400 to provide supportive housing per person each year, compared with between $21,000 and $40,000 for medical care, incarceration, detox treatment and shelter services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Denver Mayoral Candidates Off the Mark on Homeless Crisis

Advocates for people experiencing homelessness are pushing back against proposals by several Denver mayoral candidates who are including forced mental…

From 2016 to 2021, the number of Colorado children seeking mental-health or potential self-harm care at emergency departments increased by 158%. (Adobe Stock)

Emergency Rooms Seen as Best Access Point for Mental-Health Care

A host of barriers that make it harder for people suffering from poor mental health to access preventive care has led to an increase in care delivered…

De 2016 a 2021, la cantidad de ni�os de Colorado que buscaron atenci�n por razones de salud mental o posible autolesi�n en las salas de emergencia aument� en un 158%. (Adobe Stock)

Salas de emergencia y acceso a la atención de salud mental

Según un nuevo informe, una serie de barreras que dificultan el acceso a la atención preventiva de las personas que padecen problemas de …

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…

Technical Institutes, including Pickens Technical College in Aurora, offer debt-free options for students seeking professional certificates or degrees. (Pickens Technical College)<br />

Colorado Bests National Education Attainment Goal

Colorado is one of just four states where more than 60% of adults aged 25-64 have achieved a professional certificate or degree beyond high school…

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…

Advocates for Colorado's new Healthy School Meals for All program say it can help end lunch-line shaming currently experienced by many students from low-income families. (Adobe Stock)

Some Colorado School Districts on Fence about Free Meals

A new law going into effect this year provides money and other support to help Colorado school districts provide free meals to all students regardless…

Expertos en salud advierten que 6,7 millones de ni�os en los Estados Unidos podr�an perder cobertura cuando el gobierno federal declare oficialmente el fin de la pandemia. (Adobe Stock)

Más de 200,000 niños de Colorado podrían perder cobertura médica

Colorado vio caer significativamente la cantidad de niños sin seguro médico entre 2019 y 2021, según un nuevo informe de la …

Health experts warn 6.7 million children across the United States could lose coverage when the pandemic is officially declared over by the federal government. (Adobe Stock)

More Than 200,000 Colorado Kids Could Lose Health Coverage, Experts Warn

Colorado saw the number of children without health insurance drop significantly between 2019 and 2021, according to a new report from Georgetown …

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…

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…

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 …

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched its School-based Health Center initiative in 1987. (Adobe Stock)

CO Students Can Access Mental, Medical, Dental Care at School

With school now back in session, many Colorado kids are accessing medical, behavioral and dental care through School-based Health Centers, fully …

El Departamento de Salud P�blica y Medio Ambiente de Colorado puso en marcha su iniciativa de Centros de Salud Escolares en 1987. (Adobe Stock)

Estudiantes de CO acceden a atención mental, médica y dental en la escuela

Con en el regreso a la escuela, muchos niños de Colorado acceden a la atención médica, conductual y dental a través de los …

More than 60,000 kids in Colorado can't afford school meals, but don't qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and two out of every five Colorado families struggle to put food on the table for their children. (Adobe Stock)

Ending School Lunchline Shaming on Colorado’s November Ballot

In November, Colorado voters will have an opportunity to end a practice known as "lunch-line shaming," which drew national attention after a Colorado …

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 …

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 …

Free school meal waivers passed by Congress during the pandemic reduced childhood hunger, supported academic achievement and improved student behavior. (Adobe Stock)

Clock Ticking Down on School Meal Waivers

Time is running out for Congress to extend school meal waivers passed during the COVID public health emergency to help cafeterias find creative ways t…

In 2020, 40% of children age 15 months and younger did not receive the recommended six or more well-child visits with a primary-care provider after birth, and 35% of children 30 months and younger did not receive the recommended two visits. (Adobe Stock)

More Colorado Children Getting Preventive Health Care

The percentage of Colorado children in their first 15 months receiving preventive medical and behavioral health services rose by 23% from 2013 levels…

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