Welcome to a “new” year for MCH Colorado! October 1st marks the start of our second wave of implementation for the 2021-2025 MCH priorities - Year 1 for local public health agencies who receive more than $50,000 through a contract with CDPHE’s Prevention Services Division (PSD). Meanwhile, state MCH priority implementation teams are launching second year action plans. And local public health agencies who receive less than $50,000 through the master contract with CDPHE’s Office of Public Health Practice, Planning and Local Partnerships (OPHP) are starting the planning process this winter to begin implementation in July of 2022. Needless to say, it is a busy time of year, and we have a lot to be thankful for!

One thing we are celebrating is the launch of an updated MCH Local Support Model to provide excellent contract monitoring and technical assistance to local public health agencies of all funding levels, regardless of contract mechanism. Through the collective effort of state and local MCH staff, we are excited to pilot Local Support Plans with PSD agencies, housed in our 4-Square reports. These plans are intended to facilitate bi-directional communication between state and local partners by providing a coordinated space for local support across priorities. Using readiness tools, quarterly 4-squares and input from state and local staff, local support plans will be established annually at fall progress check-ins and can be updated as needed.

Second, we are excited to introduce our LPHA Partnership Call Series for this contract year, beginning with our first bimonthly learning community on November 16th at 11am:

Last, but certainly not least, we are celebrating the retirement of Julie Davis, who has served on the MCH local support team at CDPHE for the last 16 years. With immense gratitude for Julie’s advocacy for local public health, wisdom, knowledge and ability to build strong, individualized partnerships, we commit to continuing to elevate the partnership between local and state public health.  

Local public health agencies (LPHAs) receiving Maternal Child Health (MCH) funds through the Office of Public Health Practice, Planning, & Local Partnerships (OPHP) combined contract submitted an annual report to summarize program successes, challenges and changes for the July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021 contract year. Click here to read the summary report. 

CDPHE recently migrated to a new email marketing and newsletter software. We will continue to improve the look of the MCH Digest on the new system, but the content and audience of the Digest won't change. As always, we welcome feedback and ideas - feel free to send these to Risa any time.

APHA 2021 Annual Meeting - October 24 - 27, 2021. In-person in Denver, CO and virtually. Registration is open.

Public Health for Public Safety - October 25, 2021, 4:00pm - 5:30pm. Register for Zoom link.

Making Data Actionable in Child Maltreatment Prevention: A Toolkit for Collective Impact from The Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families - Oct 26, 2021, 2:30pm - 4:00pm (Virtual). RSVP now.

The Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families (CPTF) released a toolkit that aims to help partners across human service, public health, child welfare, and early childhood spaces use data in actionable ways for child maltreatment prevention and family strengthening. Join the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, Illuminate Colorado, and Partnership leadership in exploring the toolkit and how to make data work for you! The focus will be on how a collective impact approach to data, practice, and policy can catalyze systems-change for family well-being. 

CPHA Public Health Fall Town Hall - November 4, 2021, 11:30am - 1:00pm (Virtual). Registration required.

Free Record Sealing - November 13, 2021, 10:00am - 2:00pm. At Servicios de la Raza, located at 3131 W. 14th Ave. in Denver.

The Colorado Criminal Defense Institute, Meyer Law Office, and Servicios de la Raza are holding a free record sealing clinic. Given recent changes to the law, more people are eligible to seal their records than at any time in the past to help folks avoid collateral consequences from a prior criminal record that can impact housing, employment, education, and more. Register for the event in advance. For additional questions regarding the sealing clinic, contact Tristan Gorman at 720-575-7937.

AMCHP 2022 Annual Conference - March 5-8, 2022. Hybrid with in-person option in Washington, D.C.

This guide provides information and resources for most everything an early learning and care program provider needs to know to engage children, family, community partners in Farm to ECE. The Spanish version will be available by the end of the year.

A new Colorado Trust report written by Leo Kattari, MSW (who previously worked with the Children Youth and Families Branch at CDPHE) with Rachel Esters (who served as the community connector for this project). The report summarizes lived experiences and opinions shared by LGBTQIA+ people living in the southwest and west part of the state, including a look at associated benefits, challenges and opportunities. It is available in both English and Spanish.

Hispanic Coloradans make up 22% of the population and are the second largest demographic group in the state. Just this August, as part of the Pulse poll, the Colorado Health Foundation talked with 2,493 Coloradans, including 663 Hispanic adults, about their priorities and worries.

Hello! I am the new Early Childhood Systems Specialist in the Children, Youth and Families branch and the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Section (CYSHCN). My role is to provide consultation and technical support in the implementation of early childhood strategies across the MCH priorities and to serve in a coordinating role for EC efforts across the Prevention Services Division. There is much happening in early childhood across the state from the formation of the new Department of Early Childhood to the movement of Early Intervention Evaluations (from the Department of Education to the Department of Human Services)! See below for a compilation of all the latest news from our early childhood partners. - Michele Coates

Tribal Nations, resilient stewards of the natural resources that give us life, can lead the way to a more sustainable and healthy future.

LuBird’s Light Playground at Stanley Marketplace

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The Title V Maternal and Child Health Program (MCH) works with statewide partners and local public health agency representatives to improve the health of Coloradans using population-based and infrastructure-building strategies. Our mission is to optimize the health and well-being of mothers and children by employing primary prevention and early intervention public health strategies.