Friday, November 30, 2018

Lend Your Voice! Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan Survey


On behalf of the City & County of Denver, we are sharing a survey to all stakeholders who work in housing and community development, economic development, education, lending, social services, fair housing, and any other field directly or indirectly related to housing, social services, or economic development.

The City and County of Denver needs your help as they develop their five-year Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan, a study required to obtain federal funds. By participating in this voluntary and confidential survey, you will help the City understand needs and to identify appropriate actions to improve housing and community development for all residents in Denver.
 
How can you help?
  1. Take the stakeholder survey! Just click here: https://www.research.net/r/DenverConPlan2018
  2. Spread the word! Forward this email and invite your colleagues to participate in the stakeholder survey.
If you need translation of the survey into a language other than English or a reasonable accommodation to take the survey, please contact Mehgie Tabar at mtabar@bbcresearch.com or 800-748-3222 ext. 230.

If you have questions about the Consolidated Plan process or this survey, please contact Rachel King with the Office of Economic Development by email at Rachel.King@denvergov.org.

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~  Just a reminder  ~
The CCAP Collaborative will not be meeting again until January:
Thursday, January 24, 2019
from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

If you can't make it in person, you can join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/418758197 

Or dial in using your phone.
United States (Toll Free): 1 877 568 4106
United States: +1 (646) 749-3129

Access Code: 418-758-197 
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The Denver CCAP Collaborative, formerly the Denver Child Care Task Force, was founded to give Denver child care providers a voice in the community and an opportunity to meet and connect with the Denver Department of Human Services Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) staff.

Since the early 1990's, this group has convened to discuss policy and funding issues that affect large and small child care providers in the City and County of Denver. The group meets every other month and includes participants from large and small child care centers, community funders and representatives from the Denver Department of Human Services.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Talking to Youth About Suicide


The Office of Suicide Prevention with CDPHE recently updated their Youth Suicide Prevention Resources Website.





Talking to Teens about Suicide

It starts with open and honest conversations, says EDC’s Kerri Nickerson.



Many parents wonder whether they should talk about suicide with their teenagers—and if so, what they should even say. Kerri Nickerson of EDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource Center says that talking about suicide and mental health can actually help promote help-seeking and resilience among teenagers. Here, she offers parents some important, practical tips for beginning this discussion.

Monday, November 26, 2018

WEBINAR "Synthetic Marijuana:" What Is It, Why Is It Dangerous, and How Can We Prevent Youth from Using It?

CSN Webinar
November 28, 2018
3:00 - 400 pm ET
"Synthetic Marijuana:" What Is It, Why Is It Dangerous, and How Can We Prevent Youth from Using It?
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
3:00 - 4:00 pm ET
Synthetic cannabinoids, misleadingly called “synthetic marijuana” are human-made mind-altering chemicals that are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be smoked or sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices. (1) 

Also known as “K2,” “spice,” “crazy monkey,” and “Scooby snacks” this designer drug is often marketed as a safe, legal alternative to marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), these drugs are not safe and may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana; their actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, more dangerous or even life-threatening. (1)

In 2012, 11% of American high school seniors reported using “synthetic marijuana” in the past year, making it the second most popular illegal drug among teenagers. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), 11,406 emergency department visits in 2010 were associated with “synthetic marijuana;” 75% were among adolescents and young adults ages 12-29; 22.5% of these visits involved females, and 77.5% involved males. (2)

In this webinar, Krista Osterthaler of the American Association of Poison Control Centers will provide an overview of synthetic cannabinoids and the scope of the problem among youth. She will also familiarize participants with the system of poison control centers, the data they collect and their prevention-related resources. Ms. Osterthaler will present data on calls that poison control centers nationwide are receiving about synthetic cannabinoids, and the challenges the toxicologists face when deciding on an appropriate treatment protocol and advice. 

Dr. Seth Ammerman of Stanford University will share his experience in working with patients who use “synthetic marijuana” and discuss his approach as part of general screening for substance use. He will also review the recent literature on “synthetic marijuana” use in adolescents and discuss available prevention efforts. 

This webinar will be moderated by Shelli Stephens-Stidham, the Director of Community Health Impact at Parkland Health & Hospital System, Dallas, and a member of the Children’s Safety Now Alliance (CSN-A).
Sources:
(1)       National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cannabinoids-k2spice

Space is limited, so please register now!

This webinar will be archived.

Please note that we are unable to provide CEUs or certificates for our webinars.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Top Tips to Keep Kids Safe





                                      

Whether you’re traveling by car, or train or plane, coming home for the holidays is exciting. 
Before you pack up the car and bundle up the kids, put the turkey and pies in the oven – or whatever else is on your list before you go – here are five quick tips to help you and your family stay safe for the holiday.
  • In the car: If you’re like me, colder weather means lots of layers of clothing. But remember, bulky winter clothes and coats can keep a car seat from doing its job. Instead, cover your child with a thick blanket to stay warm after you’ve securely strapped him or her into the car seat.
  • In the kitchen: At Thanksgiving, things are guaranteed to get a little busy. To help keep hot food out of the reach of little hands, be sure that pot handles and other dishes aren’t close to the edge of the counter or table where they could be pulled down by curious kids.
  • By the fireplace: If there’s a fireplace in the home, be sure to check that it’s protected by a sturdy screen – and remember that glass screens can take a while to cool down even after the fire has gone out.
  • Wherever the medicine is stored: Kids get into medication in all sorts of places, like in purses and nightstands. In fact, in 67 percent of medicine-related ER visits, the medicine was within reach of a child, such as in a purse, left on a counter or dresser, or found on the ground. A good rule of thumb: “Up, up and away.” Keep medications out of reach and out of sight.  
  • In the room where you sleep: For many of us, holiday travel means we’ll be spending the night away from home. While you might be fine sleeping on the couch or an air mattress, make sure your baby always sleeps in a safe crib, bassinet or pack-n-play.
Now, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

OPPORTUNITY: Colorado Public Health Mentoring Program

 

Applications for the 2019 CPHMP Cohort are now open!!

Click here to apply!
The Colorado Public Health Mentoring Program (CPHMP) is a collaboration among Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA), Colorado Environmental Health Association (CEHA) and the Colorado School of Public Health.   Because CPHMP is financially supported by our professional associations, all participants MUST be a member of at least one of the following supporting organizations:
· CPHA
· CEHA
CPHMP intends to cultivate a strong future for public health in Colorado by facilitating the mentoring process among public health professionals. Mentoring is a developmental relationship in which one person nurtures the professional development of another. This relationship can build pathways to career opportunities, improve recruitment and retention, enrich leadership, increase adaptability in the midst of challenges, heighten professional satisfaction and decrease stress and role conflict. Former CPHMP mentors and mentees alike have found the mentoring relationship valuable and informative.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Lift the Label


Lift The Label is a public awareness campaign that strives to remove damaging labels and stigmas that prevent those with opioid addiction from seeking effective treatment. The campaign was developed by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health and is funded through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation.
Use the toolkit to support the Lift The Label campaign. This toolkit is a resource for partners to use to remove stigma in their communities and further efforts to help people seek effective treatment for opioid addiction.

Friday, November 16, 2018

November 17th is Suicide Survivor Day

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is Saturday, Nov. 17th
Find an event near you
Finding Comfort and Healing: A Different Kind of Thanksgiving
Learn More
Survivors Supporting Other Loss Survivors in their Healing Journey
Makes a Difference
Learn more
Helping Schools Recover in the Aftermath of a Suicide Death
Learn more
Preventing Veteran Suicide: A New Approach to the War on Hopelessness
Learn more
Supporting AFSP on Giving Tuesday, November 27
Learn more
Suicide Prevention is Making Headlines
Read the highlights
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The rate of high school-aged youth considering and committing suicide continues to rise, particularly among female students

new blog explores trends in youth suicide, highlighting that the percentage of high school students who report seriously considering suicide has increased since 2009. There are differences by gender, as well: In 2017, female high school students reported seriously considering suicide at nearly twice the rate of their male counterparts (22.1 and 11.9 percent, respectively).

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Please check out the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s new report Suicide Surveillance Strategies for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities.

This report describes challenges, successes, and innovative ways that American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities are approaching suicide data collection to inform and evaluate their prevention efforts. Developed with input from tribal grantees and other experts in the field, the report offers strategies and resources for a feasible and culturally appropriate approach to suicide surveillance that acknowledges the uniqueness of each AI/AN community.