On Saturday, October 2, 2021, the be well Initiative hosted a panel discussion with state and local lawmakers from Aurora and Denver, Colorado. The topics discussed were mental health, affordable housing, public safety, and covid response. The panel includes State Senator James Coleman, State Representative Leslie Herod, State Representative and Denver Public School Board Director Jennifer Bacon, Aurora Councilwoman Crystal Murillo, and Denver Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca.
Elected Officials
Government impacts your health at all levels. The federal government administers Medicare, while the state government administers Medicaid in conjunction with the federal government, and has some authority over insurance companies. Local municipal governments manage the built environments through zoning thereby determining what gets put in your locale. People are generally healthier if they live in safe, walkable neighborhoods with access to affordable healthy foods. This is whystaff at The be well Initiative is dedicated to educating the community about health and wellness issues from health insurance to public health policy to active living and healthy eating.
Make sure your elected representative knows what you want for a healthy life and community. Let’s shift these numbers together!
Policy Updates
Do you have questions about recent news surrounding Colorado’s police reform legislation? Click here to read a brief overview.
About 10% of Americans view themselves as unhealthy, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite national initiatives in improving health, this remains an issue in communities. A person’s access to healthcare is largely determined by their level of income and education and is strongly associated with age, geographic location and ethnicity. About 31% of African Americans reported being in excellent or good health, and for Caucasian Americans the number was 37%.