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School Updates From TCHD
After conducting focus groups with people from all of TCHD's 15 school districts, we learned that schools want more relevant information from us. Here is our attempt to share information that is useful to staff, parents, and students. Feel free to use the information in these newsletters to communicate with your audience. For more information about the study go here.
Enjoy your summer break!
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Tri-County Health Department is promoting two campaigns about talking. The first one, Speak Now is targeted towards parents with the message of getting them to talk to their kids about the use of alcohol and marijuana, and the misuse of prescription drugs as well as other drugs. The Speak Now campaign is an effort of the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health. The website,
www.speaknowcolorado.org
and
www.hableahoracolorado.org
is bursting with information to help parents talk to their kids about everything from finding a lighter in their son's pants pocket to how to engage in a conversation about drugs based on their children's ages.
The second campaign is called Let's Talk Colorado. This campaign partners with dozens of local health organizations and government agencies. The goal is to get people talking about mental health in a way that reduces stigma and encourages people who need help to get it. Over a lifetime, one in four adults will experience a mental illness or a substance use disorder. For children, one in five will experience a mental illness. One in ten people will experience a more serious mental illness like bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia. Mental illness is something that impacts all of us so reducing stigma is critical for people who need to get help. For more information about the campaign please visit
www.LetsTalkCO.org
or
www.hablemosco.org
Look for more information coming your way in the fall!
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Vaccine Requirements
Looking forward to a new school year? Did you know that a number of vaccines are required in order to attend school? Colorado experienced several disease outbreaks last year that could have been prevented by vaccines. Vaccines are the best way to ensure that your children are protected against these deadly diseases so they can remain healthy and stay in school. In addition to the required school vaccinations such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines, there are other vaccines that are highly recommended to protect your child's health. Beginning at 12 months of age, children should receive two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine. At age 11, children should also receive vaccinations to protect them against human papillomavirus (HPV) and meningococcal disease. For more information or to check if your child has already received these vaccines, please contact your child's medical provider or call Tri-County Health Department at (303) 451-0123. Information about vaccine preventable diseases is available from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment:
www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/vaccine-preventable-diseases
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Healthy Beverage Partnership
Six local public health agencies representing seven counties in Denver Metro work collaboratively as the Healthy Beverage Partnership (HBP) to reduce sugary beverage consumption in the region. The HBP facilitates the adoption, implementation, and strengthening of organizational policies that support the consumption of healthy foods and beverages in government settings, hospitals, schools, and other public venues. The HBP has also developed a public information campaign, "Hidden Sugar" for use in community health promotion and prevention efforts. The HBP coordinates with 11 local coalitions, which all contribute to a regional steering committee that guides the local work.
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Electronic Smoking Devices - A
Teen Health Danger
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, so keeping our kids tobacco-free provides life-long health benefits. Schools play an important role by ensuring a tobacco-free environment, including electronic smoking devices (ESDs), which are considered "tobacco products" under state law and are prohibited on school property and at school-sponsored events. Because 9 out of 10 adults who smoke started before age 18, everyone should take this policy seriously. By whatever name, electronic cigarettes, e-cigs, hookah pens, vape pens, mods...the Surgeon General reports that ESDs are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. ESDs are currently unregulated and designed primarily to do one thing: deliver nicotine. Tri-County Health Department works with school districts to support Tobacco-Free Schools policies, call Melissa Smith at 720-200-1668 to learn more. CDC's Parent Tip Sheet Parent Tip Sheet can help parents talk with teens about ESDs.
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Budget Got You Down?
See if you qualify for WIC!
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Heading off into the woods for a summertime picnic? Or to barbeque
with family and friends? They can be great ways to spend a beautiful summer day but when spending the day outdoors it is important to stay healthy by following
these basic food safety practices.
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Infectious Tidbits
Department to learn more about the contagious diseases to be aware of.
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Tri-County Health Department sponsors the Rocky Mountain Medical Reserve Corps of Colorado (RMMRCO). The RMMRCCO is about helping our communities before, during, and after disasters. While our efforts are primarily focused on emergency public health issues we strive to maintain a force to help out in any disaster or emergency.
You do not need medical background. While our members do include EMTs, nurses, mental health professionals, and more, we also have just as many members who help us out with security, education, interpretation, amateur radio operations, administration and more.
The RMMRCCO is always looking for volunteers to be part of a front line public health emergency response, to train our communities on emergency preparedness, and provide first aid and logistical support at local events. One only needs a desire to volunteer in order to become a member. If you are interested in learning more or becoming a member, please visit the website:
www.rockymountainmrc.com. Follow us on Twitter
@RMMRCCO
and Facebook
@RockyMountainMRC
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