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…

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…

Health advocates are urging the Polis administration to put terminations for vulnerable populations on hold while the state digs into what is causing outsize losses of Medicaid coverage. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado’s Medicaid insurance terminations seventh highest in nation

Two-thirds of Coloradans who have lost their health insurance during Medicaid's unwinding process are still eligible for coverage - but were terminate…

Tepeyac Community Health Center's new 24,500 square foot facility that serves all patients regardless of their ability to pay is just blocks away from public transit stops. (Galatas)

Health center development offers innovative model for affordable housing

A new development in Denver's Elyria-Swansea neighborhood that combines affordable housing, a healthcare provider, a pharmacy - and next, a grocery …

Las nuevas instalaciones de 24,500 pies cuadrados del Centro Comunitario de Salud Tepeyac, atiende a todos los pacientes independientemente de su capacidad de pago, y est� a s�lo unas cuadras de paradas de transporte p�blico. (Galatas)

El desarrollo de centro de salud ofrece modelo innovador de vivienda asequible

Un nuevo desarrollo en el barrio Elyria-Swansea de Denver, que combina viviendas asequibles, un proveedor de atención médica, una farmacia …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Colorado rate payers are still on the hook for $500 million after grid failures in Texas created a spike in natural gas prices in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Coloradans brace for winter heating bills

After Coloradans cranked up the heat to welcome family members for Thanksgiving dinner, many are worried about the price they will pay when their …

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 …

In 2021, clinicians at Community Health Centers in Colorado treated nearly 950,000 patients in 2.7 million visits for primary care as well as dental, vision, mental health and substance abuse concerns. (Adobe Stock)

Troubles in Congress could impact health-care access for Coloradans

Colorado's community health centers that serve all patients regardless of their ability to pay are already one month into their new fiscal year…

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…

La rentabilidad de agrupar servicios de salud m�dica, bucal y conductual en centros de salud comunitarios a nivel federal ha producido mejores resultados que los que la mayor�a de las consultas de atenci�n primaria pueden demostrar a�o tras a�o. (Adobe Stock)

Reinvertir ahorros de Medicare en centros de salud de Colorado

Los centros de salud comunitarios de la red de seguridad de Colorado están recibiendo un impulso en su financiación después de ahorrarl…

The cost efficiencies of bundling medical, oral and behavioral health services at federally qualified community health centers has produced better outcomes than most primary care practices can demonstrate year after year. (Adobe Stock)

Re-investing Medicare savings in Colorado’s safety net health centers

Colorado's safety net community health centers are getting a boost in funding after saving Medicare over $15 million last year, serving nearly 14,000 …

One in eight Coloradans, roughly 700,000 residents, currently hold some form of medical debt in collection. (Adobe Stock)

Agency proposes prohibiting medical debt from credit reports

The 100 million Americans currently carrying medical or dental debt could get some relief, after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took steps …

After decades of cuts to investments in affordable housing at the federal level, rural areas across the U.S. face shrinking, and aging, housing stock. (Adobe Stock)

Race for new affordable housing money could leave Western Slope behind

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

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…

At least 5,934,000 Medicaid enrollees nationwide have been dis-enrolled from health coverage as of September 8, 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Thousands of Coloradans Eligible for Medicaid Losing Health Insurance

Colorado ranks 15th in the nation for the highest rate of people losing Medicaid health insurance after pandemic-era protections ended on March 31…

Al menos 5,934.000 afiliados a Medicaid en todo el pa�s han sido dados de baja de la cobertura m�dica a partir del 8 de septiembre de 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Miles de habitantes de CO con derecho a Medicaid pierden seguro medico

Colorado ocupa el decimoquinto lugar en el país con mayor tasa de personas que pierden el seguro médico de Medicaid después de que las …

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 …

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 -- …

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 …

RTD may raise the top income to qualify for 50 percent discounted tickets. Under a new plan, a family of four could make a household income of $75,000 or less and qualify for the discount. (Galatas)

Transportation Board to Decide New Fares

The Regional Transportation District is holding a public meeting tomorrow - to decide whether or not to adopt a new fare structure, change existing …

Post-pandemic SNAP benefit cuts, $90 per person on average, have reduced benefits to $6.10 per person, per day on average. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's Pandemic SNAP Success Offers Model for Farm Bill

Colorado is the eighth most-improved state at ensuring SNAP food assistance reaches its most vulnerable residents, according to new rankings from the …

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 …

Rising temperatures as summer takes hold could stretch budgets for many Coloradans still struggling to pay off winter's price spikes. (Adobe Stock)

Summer Heat Brings Little Relief for High Utility Bills

The same families who had to apply for emergency assistance when heating bills skyrocketed this past winter could face similar challenges this summer…

Grant opportunities continue to be open to all food pantries in the state, with a focus on purchasing meat, dairy, and fresh produce from local farmers, ranchers, and producers. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Food Pantries Get Emergency Relief

Some 245 food pantries across Colorado are getting emergency funding to help meet a surge in demand after double-digit inflation and the end of pandem…

Las oportunidades de subsidios contin�an abiertas a todas las despensas de alimentos del estado, con un enfoque en la compra de carne, productos l�cteos y productos frescos de agricultores, ganaderos y productores locales. (Adobe Stock)

Despensas de alimentos en CO reciben ayuda de emergencia

Alrededor de 245 despensas de alimentos en todo Colorado están recibiendo fondos de emergencia para ayudar a satisfacer un aumento de la demanda …

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 …

One in three Coloradans age 65 and older face significant housing cost burdens, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Ranks 3rd Nationally for Senior Health Outcomes

Colorado ranks third nationally when it comes to caring for its most vulnerable adults, according to a new UnitedHealthcare report. The strong …

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…

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 …

Americans currently pay twice as much for medicines than people in other developed nations. (Adobe Stock)

Law Aiming to Lower Drug Prices Headed to Governor Polis' Desk

A law passed two years ago aiming to reign in skyrocketing prescription drug prices is set to get a booster shot with the passage of House Bill 1225 b…

Some 21,134 existing housing units in Denver are currently unoccupied, more than enough to house all the estimated 10,000 people experiencing homelessness across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Colorado's Housing Affordability Crisis Calls for Strategic Investments

Housing affordability has become a top priority for Colorado lawmakers and voters, and a new report from an organization with nearly four decades of …

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 …

Last year Xcel Energy posted more than $8.3 billion in gross profits. (Adobe Stock)

Public Comments Sought for Xcel Energy’s Most Recent Rate Hikes

Coloradans can now submit comments on Xcel Energy's proposal to increase base rates for electricity. Bill Levis, an AARP Colorado volunteer and …

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CO: Poverty Issues