Public Health

Pediatric Mental Health Support at Grand River Health in Rifle
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Pediatric Mental Health Support at Grand River Health in Rifle

This article was made possible by a Pediatric Mental Health Care Access grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics awarded to the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians. CAFP’s goal is to connect family physicians across the state with the support and resources of the Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation and Access Program (CoPPCAP). — By Dr….

Statement on the Tragic Shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs
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Statement on the Tragic Shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs

President Stephanie Gold, MD, FAAFP issued the following statement on behalf of the CAFP today addressing this horrific tragedy: To our members, We are heartbroken by Saturday night’s shooting at Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs. This senseless act of violence against the LGBTQ community has destroyed a sense of safety and taken or forever…

Colorado Family Physicians Denounce Supreme Court Abortion Decision, Offer Member Resources
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Colorado Family Physicians Denounce Supreme Court Abortion Decision, Offer Member Resources

The Colorado Academy of Family Physicians is concerned about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe V. Wade via the Dobbs v. Jackson court decision released on Friday June 24, 2022. This ruling affects the patient-physician relationship, even eliminating access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion in some states. The Colorado Reproductive Healthcare Equity Act passed…

Universal Recommendation for Hepatitis B Vaccination for Adults 19-59 Years

On April 1, 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published updated recommendations for universal hepatitis B vaccination in adults aged 19-59 years. The updated recommendation removes the risk factor assessment previously in place for adults in this age group. A universal recommendation will simplify the hepatitis B recommendation for both vaccine recipients and clinicians with the hope to…

New School COVID-19 Vaccination Data Dashboard

The Immunization Branch at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) introduced a new School COVID-19 Vaccination Data dashboard displaying COVID-19 vaccination rates for kindergarten through 12th grades at the school district and school levels. CDPHE and Colorado Department of Education (CDE) entered into an interagency data sharing agreement in January 2022 that…

What is VAERS?

Established in 1990 as a joint venture between CDC and FDA , the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) serves as the nation’s early warning system to collect reports of adverse events after vaccination. VAERS depends on reports made by the public and health care providers. It provides scientists with valuable information to assess possible…

Wearing Masks, Getting Vaccinated, Will Safeguard Our Communities During Omicron
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Wearing Masks, Getting Vaccinated, Will Safeguard Our Communities During Omicron

For Immediate Release DENVER, COLORADO – The Colorado Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) is alarmed by the rapid rise in new COVID-19 infections due to the highly infectious Omicron variant. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that getting fully vaccinated, receiving a booster shot, and wearing a high quality mask reduces the spread and severity of…

Critical conversations with vaccine hesitant patients

As COVID-19 vaccines are being allocated across the United States (U.S.), many Americans are ambivalent about or will refuse them. Fortunately, we have ample scientific knowledge regarding how to meet people at their stage of readiness for accepting vaccinations, proactively addressing concerns, facilitating confidence, and building internal motivation for healthy decision making. Many of those…

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PRESS RELEASE: Colorado Healthcare Leaders Applaud Governor Polis’s Grant Program to Support COVID-19 Vaccination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Denver, CO – The Colorado Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP), representing over 2,700 practicing primary care physicians, residents, and medical students, applauds and supports the new Colorado state grant program for primary care clinics to provide the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to patients. The $60 million COVID-19 Primary Care Vaccination Grant…

The Immunization Action Coalition: A Gold Standard Immunization Resource

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) was founded in 1993 and is considered a gold standard immunization resource for those administering vaccines. The IAC’s immunization resources have now been used by generations of health care providers. Some of these resources have stood the test of time and have been used for almost 30 years. These resources exist because of…

How Primary Care Physicians Can Provide the COVID-19 Vaccine

The rate of new COVID-19 infections in Colorado remains stubbornly high, despite substantial progress toward vaccinating the population. Both the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest maximizing vaccination whenever possible. Moreover, Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force advises providers to take every opportunity to…

Previously vaccine hesitant Coloradans could be moving toward a change of heart

Since COVID-19 vaccines became a reality in late 2020, public health officials have watched closely all available data on vaccine hesitancy including the impacts of race and ethnicity as well as gender, education and age on the likelihood that a person would express concerns about taking a COVID vaccine. In September 2020, when the first…