Action Alert from Illuminate Colorado

As Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to an end, our friends at Illuminate Colorado and Prevent Child Abuse America are encouraging us all to take action.  Although the official advocacy day was yesterday, don't let that stop you!  Their call to action is shared below: 

DIGITAL ADVOCACY DAY

Please join supporters of Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA), Illuminate Colorado, and PCAA affiliate organizations across the nation and take to Twitter, Facebook, and email to make sure lawmakers in Washington, DC, include critical support and resources to children and families in the upcoming economic stimulus package. 

Weekly Webinar Round-Up

I'd like to share several webinars happening this week that may be of interest:

The Coronavirus Pandemic: Health Inequities and Vulnerable Communities

Tuesday, April 28, 10 - 11am

Presented jointly by The Forum at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and The World from PRX & WGBH.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has hit underserved populations and communities of color particularly hard, exacerbating longstanding health disparities in the U.S.  In this Facebook Live Q&A, Dr. Mary Bassett, Director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and Former Commissioner of Health for New York City, will unpack COVID-19 and health inequities based on geography, income, race, and occupation."

Pregnancy and Intimate Partner Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Wednesday, April 29, 12 - 1pm

Presented by the National Center for Fatality Review & Prevention

"The primary strategy to combat COVID-19, “Stay at Home and Stay Safe” orders may be placing victims and survivors of domestic violence at even greater risk. Research shows that partner violence is associated with multiple adverse physical and mental health outcomes, including conditions that can increase vulnerability to severe COVID-19. Join this webinar to hear strategies for keeping pregnant women and families safe and to gain information on resources available to protect those who are the most vulnerable."

A Colorado Guide to Eviction and COVID-19

Wednesday, April 29, 12 - 1pm

Presented by Colorado Poverty Law Project

"The National Multifamily Housing Council reports that one-third of Americans did not pay any rent for the month of April 2020. Eviction moratoria have kept most housed, they but have not relieved tenants from the burden of past-due obligations. Many tenants are receiving 10-day eviction notices for nonpayment even while the moratoria are in place.

Please join for a one-hour continuing learning education program addressing Colorado residential evictions in the COVID-19 environment. The program will provide an update on tenant rental assistance sources, eviction moratoria, and best practices and strategies for tenants and their service providers in the COVID-19 environment. Speakers are Zach Neumann, Esq., founder, The Community Firm, and Jack Regenbogen, Attorney and Policy Advocate for the Colorado Center on Law and Policy."

Adverse Childhood Experiences During COVID-19

Thursday, April 30, 11am - 12pm

Presented by the Prevention Research Center at Colorado State University

"As children around the country are sheltering-in-place, some are exposed to potentially traumatic events. These events can undermine children’s sense of safety, stability, and bonding with caregivers. 

ACEs are common, linked to a large number of health conditions, and costly to families, communities, and society. When children are exposed to ACEs, they are also at higher risk for developing an overactive stress response.

Dr. Nathaniel Riggs, director of the CSU Prevention Research Center, will moderate a 45-minute discussion on ACEs during the COVID-19 pandemic with Dr. Sharon A. Hoover, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine." 

Standing Against Racism in the Time of COVID

Sunday, May 3, 6 - 7:30pm

Presented by Asia Society Southern California

"Join Asia Society Southern California for a special virtual event to raise awareness and combat the escalating violence and intolerance towards those of Asian descent and other communities of color following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Policy makers and advocates, journalists and authors, student leaders and actors will come together for this vitally important conversation. They will discuss and explore the impact of COVID-19 related racism, government and public responses to preventing discrimination, and the significance of remaining engaged and empowered within our own communities."

New Infographic & Mini-Grant Photo Contest Reminder

The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention (NCFRP) has released a new "Quick-Looks" infographic summarizing national data on infant abuse and neglect deaths from 2004 - 2017.

The infographic includes links to child abuse and neglect prevention resources from the CDC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a glossary of key equity terms and concepts.  An excerpt from our Child Fatality Prevention System equity statement is included below to serve as a foundation for reviewing the NCFRP infographic and other data related to child fatalities:

The impact of policies and systems on child deaths

Generations of social, economic, and environmental inequities contribute to some families losing infants, children, and youth. When interpreting the data, it is critical to not lose sight of these systemic, avoidable, and unjust factors. These factors perpetuate the disparities we observe in child deaths in Colorado. Researchers are working toward understanding how geography, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity correlate with health. It is critical that data systems like CFPS identify, understand, and eliminate life-long inequities that persist across groups. By changing policies and systems that create and perpetuate inequities, CFPS can reduce the number of child deaths that occur in Colorado.

Child Abuse Prevention Month Photo Contest

It's not too late to help your favorite Colorado nonprofit serving children and families win a mini-grant!  Submit your photo showing what is giving you strength to make #greatchildhoods happen in your community.  Photos with the most votes on April 30 will win a mini-grant to award to a Colorado nonprofit.  Please see the Pinwheels for Prevention site for contest details and submission instructions.  The photo contest is sponsored by Illuminate Colorado, the CO chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America.

Webinars in the age of COVID

There are several webinars this week that may be of interest to public health professionals, health care workers, and others concerned about the health and safety of Colorado kids and families.

Wednesday, April 22, 5-6:30pm

Structural Competency: New Medicine for Inequalities that are Making Us Sick

Webinar Part 2:  Medically Marginalized Populations

This webinar series explores the concept of structural competency, which aims to understand the relationships among race, class, and symptom expression.  Read more about structural competency here.  Wednesday's webinar will focus on racial inequalities in COVID testing, treatment, and deaths; immigrant rights; disability justice; and jail/prison rights.  The Structural Competency & COVID-19 Webinar Part 1: Basic Needs and First Response is archived and available to view online.

Thursday, April 23, 11am-12pm

Public Health Decision-Making During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This webinar is sponsored by the Network for Public Health Law with the goals of providing public health professionals with:

• A legal and ethical framework for executive decision-making, covering mandatory and discretionary actions and the exercise of professional judgement in responding to COVID-19
• Strategies to avoid second-guessing and reduce exposure to liability based on hindsight
• A tool for effective and ethical executive decision-making and real-time documentation of the factual basis for a decision, reflecting information available at the time the decision was made.

Thursday, April 23, 12-1pm

COVID-19 Threats to Detention Center/Prison Populations

Sponsored by Physicians for Human Rights, this webinar will feature medical, human rights, and correctional facility experts discussing U.S. and international responses to the danger of COVID-19 in prisons and detention centers.  

Thursday, April 23, 5-6pm

Bystander Intervention Training

In response to a rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, the organizations Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice have partnered to offer free bystander intervention training.  The intervention strategies taught in this training can be used to support a variety of communities.  This training will be offered once a week throughout April and May, so there are plenty of options if you can't make the training this Thursday.

Public Health in the Rockies and Sharing COVID Stories

The Colorado Public Health Association is moving forward with this year's Public Health in the Rockies (PHiR) conference.  PHiR is scheduled to happen August 25-28 at the Keystone Conference Center.  Please see the following message from CPHA President Kim Boyd announcing PHiR:

Share Your Story of the COVID Crisis

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Primary Care Progress are collecting stories of how the pandemic is impacting people and they want to hear from you!  Please consider sharing your story and passing along this request to your networks.

SHARE A STORY

They are inviting clinicians, staff, health professions students, patients, and family members to share their stories from the pandemic.  They aim to collect stories from around the world to help the public understand the current situation and to amplify urgent calls to action.

Mini-Grants and Black Maternal Health Webinar

This is Black Maternal Health Week and you still have time to join a webinar tomorrow hosted by Black Mamas Matter Alliance.

Centering Black Mamas: In Practice

Thursday April 16th @ 2:00-3:30pm ET

This webinar will feature black-led community-based organizations working to advance Black Maternal Health, Rights, and Justice at the local level.  Panelists will share strategies and lessons learned from designing and implementing programs centering the needs of Black Mamas.

Think Babies Colorado Mini-Grant Opportunities

With generous funding from the Think Babies campaign of ZERO TO THREE, the Raise Colorado coalition is proud to offer mini-grants of up to $5,000 to support community-based efforts across Colorado that promote the health and wellbeing of pregnant people, infants, toddlers, and their families.  

Organizations, coalitions, and individuals eligible for Think Babies Colorado Mini-Grants should submit an application at bit.ly/thinkbabiesco by April 24 for the first round of support and by May 15 for the second round of funding. (If completing an online application is a barrier to applying, or if you have any questions, please contact Jacy Montoya Price at jacy@coloradokids.org or 303-638-5921 for additional guidance.)

Resources for Colorado Families

We know you are doing all you can to keep the families you serve safe, healthy, and connected to vital resources during the COVID crisis.  Here are a few resources that you may find helpful:

• Now that we are being encouraged by the CDC to wear cloth face coverings to offer protection against COVID-19, it is important to make sure that parents and caregivers know that children under age 2 SHOULD NOT wear a face mask due to the risk of suffocation.
• Essential baby supplies of formula, diapers, and wipes are being delivered to Colorado by FEMA.  Families in need of these supplies can find their nearest distribution center on the Colorado Office of Early Childhood website.
• The Colorado chapter of Circle of Parents is hosting online and phone meetings twice a week for parents to connect with one another and share resources and support.  In addition to the state-wide meetings, smaller Circle of Parents groups across the state are offering digital meetings during this time of social distancing.
• For immigrant families, the Colorado Center on Law and Policy has a COVID-specific list of resources, both in English and Spanish. Importantly, people are not asked about immigration status at testing sites.
• The amazing team at Raise Colorado has compiled an extensive resource list for Colorado families with everything from food and housing to technology resources in a collaborative Google document.
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued safety checklists to keep our kids safe from hidden home hazards.

WEBINAR: Racial disparities and COVID-19

The African American community is being especially hard hit by the Coronavirus.  The Multicultural AIDS Coalition is leading a webinar tomorrow, April 14, to discuss this issue.  Colorado has lagged behind some states in collecting race and ethnicity data for COVID-19 patients.  Disparities noted elsewhere in the country might help us better understand which of our communities may be more vulnerable to the virus and inform our response and prevention efforts. 

Race & Place: Is COVID-19 Becoming a Black Disease?

Tue, Apr 14, 2020
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT

REGISTER HERE: https://register.gotowebinar.com/regist…/5348518644314555659

WEBINAR Apr 14: Preventing Violence in our Homes

Learning opportunity hosted by the Prevention Institute:

Preventing violence in our homes: Meeting this moment with connection, care, and justice Children, youth, and families are experiencing intensified stresses and new traumas as our country and the entire world work to contain the novel coronavirus and save lives. With more and more families experiencing unemployment, housing insecurity, and hunger—and many people restricted to their homes and limited in their social interactions, risks for violence and abuse in the home are likely to be on the rise.  Webinar: Preventing violence in our homes: Meeting this moment with connection, care, and justice Tuesday, April 14 11:00am-12:30pm Pacific/2:00-3:30pm Eastern Register Here In this web conference, speakers will talk about their communities’ experiences with COVID-19 and emerging strategies to understand community needs in this moment and respond to them. We will also offer ample time for participants to share what they’re learning and what actions they’re taking. Whether you are a public health practitioner, community health worker, educator, or advocate, we can meet this moment of major individual and collective upheaval with connection, care, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Together, we can support and advocate for children, youth, and families, and prevent violence in our homes. Objectives: Describe the impacts of the current climate on safety at home.  Identify actions communities are taking to support children, youth, and families to prevent violence and abuse at home (e.g., conducting rapid needs and assets assessments, connecting with different population groups, supporting safe and healthy relationship skill-building, and advocating with funders and policymakers). Engage in a candid discussion about roles practitioners can take on during this moment of crisis. Identify resources organizations have developed to support safety at home and promote equity. Featured Speakers: Aristea Saulsbury and Hillarie Beyer, McKinleyville Family Resource Center Jenny Coleman, Stop It Now! And others to be announced We’ll be sharing more web conferences and peer-learning opportunities soon. Visit this page for updates.

Promoting health, safety, and wellbeing through thriving, equitable communities. Prevention Institute Oakland — Los Angeles — Houston — Washington, DC www.preventioninstitute.org About us  |  Tools  |  Services  |  Subscribe prevent@preventioninstitute.org Tel. 510.444.7738  |  221 Oak Street Oakland, CA 94607

Mini-Grant Photo Contest & Tips for Supporting Families During COVID

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.  As part of the 2020 Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign, our friends at Illuminate Colorado are hosting a photo contest to highlight the ways we are making #GreatChildhoods happen here.  Enter a photo for a chance to win a mini-grant for your favorite Colorado nonprofit serving children and families!

 

Many of us are struggling right now to support our communities while juggling our work and home responsibilities.  The COVID-19 crisis is increasing financial, emotional, and other stressors for families.  CO4Kids has a great post with tips for talking to parents and caregivers and questions to ask yourself if you're concerned about the safety of a child.  

The Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline remains available 24/7 for folks to call if they are concerned about the safety and well being of a child: 844-CO-4-Kids

WEBINAR Apr 10: Impact of Black Infant Loss

A learning opportunity from the National Institute for Children's Health Quality (NICHQ)

Social Determinants of Grief: The Impact of Black Infant Loss

This webinar is hosted by NICHQ on Behalf of Baby's 1st Network

Understanding African American grief requires taking a long look at the historical and contemporary experiences around the issues of death. But troublingly, there is very little research conducted on Black grief and its connection to racism and related social injustices. Understanding the impact of systemic racism and its influence on how a person reacts to loss sets the stage for addressing how best to support communities that are disproportionately affected by infant death. This webinar will offer insight on how some women of color deal with compounded loss and trauma. Participants will walk away with an opportunity to gain additional knowledge on how to best serve communities of color affected by infant loss.  When: Friday, April 10, 10 - 11 a.m. ET We realize this time may be difficult for some of our network. If you cannot attend, please register to receive the recording.  Register here or by clicking the button below.

Register Here

Speaker: Stacy Scott, PhD, MPA Dr. Scott has spent the past 30 years designing and implementing programs to address health disparities in under-resourced communities. In 2016, she founded the Global Infant Safe Sleep Center, an organization with a mission to empower the world’s communities to achieve equity in infant survival. She is also the executive director of Baby's 1st Network and is a Senior Director at NICHQ, where she works on multiple initiatives, including co-directing the National Action Partnership to Promote Safe Sleep Improvement and Innovation Network.

This webinar is sponsored by Baby 1st Network and the Ohio Department of Health. NICHQ is hosting the webinar on their behalf.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Our friends at Illuminate Colorado and Prevent Child Abuse America have a toolkit, resources, and concrete actions that we can all take throughout the month of April to prevent child abuse and make sure great childhoods happen for all kids in Colorado.

Everything has changed. Things have changed for every family in Colorado during the COVID-19 public health crisis, so, the tools EVERYONE NEEDS to prevent child abuse during Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAPM) have changed too. Thank you for your patience as we worked with our national partners at Prevent Child Abuse America to update materials and messaging.  Updated Toolkit Items Talking points/key messages related to CAPM & COVID-19 Newsletter/blog Content Social media best practices guide Sample organic social media calendar is loaded into the our Bambu network. All you need to do is take the pledge and join the CAPM network to get daily content to promote throughout the month. Pinwheel Coloring Sheet Make your own Pinwheel Instruction Sample CAP Month press release - AVAILABLE APRIL 1 Online tools like the photo, video, story and coloring contests can be found on  the Inspiration Center.  Media Outreach Update Download Media Advisory distributed today. If you are a parent, foster parent, caregiver, home visitor, caseworker, community member, representative from a government or nonprofit agency, or elected official willing to engage with this campaign to strengthen families in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis and wiling to talk to the media about what you have planned, complete the speakers bureau form. We will be distributing a press release announcement to launch the campaign at 5:00 am on April 1 and continue to look for ways to engage the media throughout the month. We encourage you to use the virtual story-telling opportunities on the Inspirational Center ASAP to talk about how you or your organization are #DoingmypartCO to Make #Greatchildhoods Right Now.  Kick off national child abuse prevention month on April 3 on National #WearBlueDay2020 by wearing blue at home and sharing your photos on social media. Show your support for #greatchildhoods. Take the Pledge to Strengthen Families Right Now Everyone can be a positive influence for their family and friends online. You have the power to influence your community. Pledge to strengthen families and receive daily social media posts.  #DoingMyPartCO includes promoting the five things every family needs right now to stay strong and get daily challenges throughout the month of April to make #greatchildhoods happen at home and in your community. Livestream: 2020 Child Abuse Prevention Month Launch - April 7 Join the together to launch National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Colorado. In light of public health guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19, this event will be held online only on April 7, 2020.  Share Your Story. Inspire Others. SUBMIT A STORY   Thank someone or an organization that is making #greatchildhoods happen in your home or community right now. SUBMIT A PHOTO   Enter a photo for a chance to win a mini-grant for your favorite Colorado nonprofit serving children and families! Show us what is giving you strength to make #greatchildhoods happen in your home or community. SUBMIT A VIDEO Share you thoughts on how #DoingmypartCO means strengthening families right now. Post a video on Instagram or Twitter with the sentence  #DoingmypartCO to Make #Greatchildhoods Right Now to get added to the Inspirational Video Gallery. PINWHEEL COLORING SHEET Download the pinwheel coloring sheet, color it and post it in the window and take a photo. Share this giveaway with friends and organize a pinwheel scavenger hunt for the kids in the neighborhood. ORDER PINWHEELS Due to a stay-at-home order for the City and County of Denver we are unable to ship items. You are welcome to continue ordering items, in fact we appreciate your support and look forward to fulfilling all orders when it is safe for our employees to return to our office in Denver, Colorado. ​Thank you for your patience as we continue to try to raise awareness for the prevention of child maltreatment together. Thank you, again for your patience We hope these tools help everyone engage and inspire communities to strengthening families right now.  There will be MANY MORE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES throughout the month. Please continue to visit the Inspiration Center, Subscribe to get updates from the Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign in Colorado or follow the social media channels of Illuminate Colorado.