Prevention the lesson at Clear Creek County Back 2 School Days

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Clear Creek Public Health Department and Mountain Youth Network came together for three days the rst week of August at the county’s public health department in Idaho Springs for “Back 2 School Days.”

Sports physicals, vaccines, harm reduction and drug education were all part of the curriculum, according to the brochure. However, the main message, said Director of Public Health Dr. Timothy Ryan, is the prevention of disease, drugs, reproductive health issues and mental health issues.

“It’s absolutely critical,” Ryan said. “It’s why public health is here. To try and drive that message home, if you can prevent things from happening, it’s obviously much better than having to react afterward.” e fee for a physical is $20 but Ryan said no one walks away if they can’t pay. e physical is required for most student-athletes to participate in sports. ere is a sliding scale for families who struggle to pay and Ryan said he’s seen individuals and families “paying it forward,” like paying an extra $20 for the next family who may be struggling to get physicals for multiple family members.

Ryan said should never be an ob- stacle to health care and prevention.

Mountain Youth Network

Joining the Clear Creek County Public Health Department was the Mountain Youth Network. Its new manager, Rose Morris, said the partnership and events like Back 2 School Days allow MYN to interact with and contact youth who may not know about the network and what it o ers.

Morris said her goal is to reach as many as possible.

“I want to put my skills to work locally because there is so much to be done all around us and there is always going to be somebody that can bene t from a helping hand,” she said.

Mountain Youth Network is a Clear Creek County organization whose mission statement is “to inspire and support our youth to nd their path to hope, health, and happiness.”

Clear Creek County provides a great backyard for the outdoor activities that are at the core of MYN’s goal, Morris added.

“Getting outdoors just takes you out of your comfort zone you develop skills of problem-solving you have to work with your peers to gure things out you get exposed to a variety of circumstances that just enhance that thought process and the ability to work through things,”

Morris said.

The reality of student health care needs today

In addition to pamphlets about depression, anxiety and dealing with loneliness were a couple of pre-packed brown paper bags on the County’s public health table.

One is aimed at reproductive health. It’s lled with information about being sexually active, disease and prevention. e other bag’s label reads “Narcan/Fentanyl”. e Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports a 70% increase in fentanyl deaths across the state from 2020 to 2021. ose gures are proportionally mirrored in Clear Creek County, Ryan said.