#health

Using Colorado Longitudinal Data to Address Food Insecurity and Support Equity in Postsecondary Education and Training

This project will inform Colorado’s efforts to increase college attainment by supporting students’ needs for food and related human services. Many college students struggle with food insecurity, and evidence increasingly suggests that food insecurity can act as a barrier to postsecondary success. Colorado state agencies and postsecondary institutions are looking for ways to expand student participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure that students receive nutritional support and to advance equity in postsecondary education.

By coloradolab, ago
happy mother with baby smiling

S-HIE Maternal Health Innovation

Social Health information Exchange (S-HIE) is recognized in Colorado as a prime opportunity to improve care coordination and reduce barriers experienced in delivering high-quality care with effective resource use. This collaborative effort between the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado Lab, Illuminate Colorado, and the Kempe Center assessed the feasibility of leveraging for maternal health innovation through the Plan of Safe Care pilot study which focuses on health and well-being of maternal infant dyads affected by perinatal substance use.

By coloradolab, ago

CAPABLE

CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place–Advancing Better Living for Elders) is a program developed by Johns Hopkins University to improve quality of life, improve functional ability, reduce hospitalizations, and reduce nursing home admissions in older adults. The Colorado Lab will evaluate the CAPABLE program in Colorado.

By coloradolab, ago

Perinatal Substance Use and Improving Family Health

The Colorado Lab is working with the Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention to better understand and address the growing issue of perinatal substance use. The vision for this project is to routinely track incident rates of perinatal substance use in Colorado and inform state investments, programs, and policies aimed at strengthening families affected by substance use during a pregnancy.

By coloradolab, ago
mother feeding child bottle

Establishing a Baseline: Substance Use and Infant and Maternal Mortality

A new study, Phase One Supplemental: Maternal & Infant Mortality in the First Year of Life, builds on last spring’s initial study focused on the risk of infant removal by child welfare shortly after a birth event due to a referral of substance exposure. The supplemental study establishes a baseline understanding of infant and maternal mortality outcomes for families in Colorado involved in child welfare and impacted by perinatal substance use.

By coloradolab, ago

Potential Health Care Cost Savings of Dual-Enrollment in Medicaid and SNAP

Colorado ranks among the lowest in the nation in terms of the percentage of the population receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with about 60% of eligible residents participating. This study examines the impact of SNAP enrollment on healthcare costs–particularly emergency room visits and hospitalizations–among Colorado residents enrolled in Medicaid. If the study identifies substantial cost savings, it will provide a fiscal reason for increasing enrollment in SNAP among those who are eligible.

By coloradolab, ago

Supporting Caregivers through the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE) Process

Colorado is taking a data-informed approach to understanding the needs of non-professional caregivers who take care of loved ones with chronic or acute health conditions or developmental disabilities. This project examines the impact of the TCARE process on caregiver well-being and use of preventive health care, while also looking qualitatively at whether TCARE is a viable care option in Colorado.

By coloradolab, ago

Prenatal Substance Use and Improving Family Health

Families affected by substance use during a pregnancy are at risk for infant and maternal mortality, significant health consequences, and threats to well-being of the family as a whole. This data linkage study improves our ability to monitor current trends by establishing a comprehensive set of definitions for prenatal substance use for affected mothers and infants in Colorado.

By coloradolab, ago