Public News Service

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

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…

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 …

Nueve de cada diez empleadores en el estado dicen que tienen puestos de trabajo que cubrir, pero no pueden encontrar trabajadores calificados. (Adobe Stock)

Certificados y títulos post-secundarios ofrecen buen retorno de la inversión

Los habitantes de Colorado que se gradúan de la universidad o de las escuelas vocacionales están listos para unirse al mercado laboral equip…

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 …

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…

Both CPR and QPR, a suicide prevention intervention, are designed to increase the chance of survival in the event of a crisis. (Adobe Stock)

Community Mental Health Centers offer free QPR suicide prevention trainings

Colorado has the sixth-highest suicide rate in the nation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When someone …

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…

Cada a�o se producen 4,000 vacantes de enfermeros titulados y 3,700 de educadores de primaria y secundaria, seg�n datos estatales. (Adobe Stock)

Matrícula gratuita en universidades de CO para trabajos de alta demanda

A partir de este otoño, Colorado ofrecerá matrícula gratuita a los estudiantes que deseen obtener títulos o credenciales en …

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 …

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 …

NIMAA was founded by two leading Federally Qualified Health Centers, Salud Family Health and Community Health Center, Inc., to make post-secondary education and health careers accessible to students from medically underserved communities. (Adobe Stock)

New Partnerships to Expand Health Career Pathways for Medical Assistants

A national training program with deep roots in Colorado is partnering with colleges and universities in an effort to bring more people into healthcare…

NIMAA fue fundada por dos importantes centros de salud con calificaci�n federal, Salud Family Health y Community Health Center, Inc., para hacer accesibles la educaci�n postsecundaria y las carreras m�dicas para estudiantes de comunidades carentes de servicios. (Adobe Stock)

Nuevas alianzas para ampliar trayectorias profesionales a asistentes médicos

Un programa de capacitación nacional con raíces profundas en Colorado se está asociando con colegios y universidades en un esfuerzo por…

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 …

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 …

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 …

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…

In fall 2020, among four-year universities and community colleges nationwide, male freshmen enrollment declined 1.3%, while female freshmen enrollment fell 3.2%. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Ahead of National Curve on Women Seeking Degrees, Certificates

Nationally, female students have been opting out of college at more than twice the rate of males since 2020, according to a new National Student …

En oto�o de 2020, entre las universidades de cuatro a�os y los colegios comunitarios de todo el pa�s, la inscripci�n de hombres en primer a�o disminuy� un 1.3%, mientras que la de mujeres cay� un 3.2%. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado a la vanguardia en mujeres que buscan títulos y certificados

A nivel nacional, las estudiantes han estado optando por no asistir a la universidad a una tasa de más del doble que los hombres desde 2020…

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…

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 is the first state in the nation to require comprehensive gender-affirming health care as part of minimum, or

Report Finds Colorado a Leader in Access to Gender-Affirming Health Care

The rate of individuals receiving gender-affirming care - care received by a person whose assigned sex at birth doesn't match their gender identity - …

Colorado es el primer estado de la naci�n que requiere una atenci�n m�dica integral de afirmaci�n de g�nero como parte de los planes de seguro m�dico m�nimos o de referencia. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado líder en acceso a atención médica de afirmación de género

La tasa de personas que reciben atención de afirmación de género (atención recibida por una persona cuyo sexo asignado al nacer no…

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 …

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…

En 2020, el 40 % de los ni�os de 15 meses o menos no recibieron las seis o m�s visitas de bienestar recomendadas con un proveedor de atenci�n primaria despu�s del nacimiento, y el 35 % de los ni�os de 30 meses o menos no recibieron las dos visitas recomendadas. (Adobe Stock)

Más niños de Colorado reciben atención médica preventiva

El porcentaje de niños de Colorado en sus primeros 15 meses recibiendo servicios médicos preventivos y de salud conductual aumentó en u…

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…

Georgetown researchers found that Black American women are the most likely to have to turn to student loans for college, and hold the most student loan debt, compared with their peers. (Adobe Stock)

Study: College Grads Twice as Likely to Have Good Jobs

By age 35, workers with a bachelor's degree or higher are about twice as likely as workers with just a high school diploma to have a good job - one …

Numerous studies have shown that when children are given healthy food, they do better in school and stay healthier overall. (Adobe Stock)

Children’s Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Extend School Meals for All

Federal COVID relief funds that helped expand access to school meals for all kids regardless of their ability to pay are set to expire in June…

Pollsters at Colorado College saw a 22-point increase in the number of respondents who say climate change is a serious problem compared to a 2011 poll. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Youth Take Aim at Largest Corporate Polluters

Colorado students are expected to gather at the State Capitol today, joining a global climate youth strike. Students will also march to a Chase bank …

Colorado Lawmakers Consider Raising Minimum Age for Juvenile Prosecution

Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would raise the minimum age for prosecuting children for crimes from 10 to 13 years old, except in …

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 …

Enrollment among first-time Hispanic college students dropped by nearly 20% during the height of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Latinos Continue to Face Barriers to College Degrees

The COVID health pandemic has blunted progress made in the number of Latino students graduating with a college certificate or degree, a development …

La matr�cula entre los estudiantes universitarios hispanos por primera vez se redujo en casi un 20% durante el apogeo de la pandemia. (Adobe Stock)

Latinos de Colorado siguen enfrentando barreras para títulos universitarios

La pandemia de salud de COVID ha reducido el progreso logrado en la cantidad de estudiantes latinos que se gradúan con un certificado o títu…

The MANO Project's summer fellowships and internships are paid, and many offer transportation stipends, free on-site housing or housing stipends. (Adobe Stock)

Public Lands Agencies Work to Diversify, Strengthen Staff

The Hispanic Access Project is teaming up with the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest and Fish and Wildlife services, and other agencies to …

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…

Colorado students are learning science, reading, history and more as they participate in Farm to School programs. (Adobe Stock)

Farm to School Programs on Rebound After COVID Closures

DENVER -- Farm to School programs are beginning to bounce back after last year's COVID closures, and more than half the state's 178 school districts …

Advocates for extending pandemic-related universal free school meals say the program helps remove the stigma of so-called

Free School Meal Expansion During Pandemic Spotlights Ongoing Need

AURORA, Colo. -- School districts across Colorado had to get creative to ensure families could access critical meals during pandemic-related closures…

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