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June 3, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
JeffcoTranscript.com
VOLUME 37 | ISSUE 45
MEMORIAL DAY AT FORT LOGAN
Youth mental health services in crisis As youth suicide attempts rise, mental health experts declare state of emergency BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
of April, although they have since declined sharply following the same trajectory as overall cases in the county. While contracting COVID-19 has generally been considered far less risky for those in younger age groups than it is for their grandparents or even parents, JCPH Executive Director Dawn Comstock said it is still important for kids to be vaccinated because they can spread the virus to friends and family.
With suicide attempts on the rise, and emergency rooms statewide filling up with psychiatric patients, Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHC) declared a state of emergency last week. During a special round-table discussion on May 25, health experts said they are seeing dramatic increases in young patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation and social disconnectedness. Participants in the panel agreed hospital beds are filling up, resources are running low and more help from the county, state and federal levels are needed. According to statistics provided in the hour-long discussion, the leading cause of death for children and young adults, starting at age 10, is suicide in Colorado. According to 2021 data from Mental Health America, Colorado ranks 42nd in youth mental health services. CHC has hospitals and services throughout the Denver metro area, including locations in Arapahoe, Jefferson, Douglas, Denver and Adams counties.
SEE CLINICS, P6
SEE CRISIS, P10
A headstone at the Fort Logan National Cemetery marks the gravesite of Phillip P. Blondo who served in WWII. Each grave is PHOTO BY BOB WOOLEY decorated with an American flag every Memorial Day.
Shots in before schools out JCPH rushed vax clinics at 34 schools BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When the Pfizer vaccine was approved for use in kids ages 12-15 just three weeks before the end of the school year in Jeffco, Jefferson County Public Health was faced with its latest challenge in a year full of them. “We were asked to hit all of our
schools in the next two weeks,” said Marius Nielsen, who has been helping coordinate vaccination efforts for JCPH. Hitting as many schools as possible was important, Nielsen said, because JCPH knew that they presented the best place to reach as many 12-15 year olds as possible. In total, the district was able to hold events at 34 schools out of the 155 in the district. The urgency had also increased in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases spiked significantly among those ages 10-19 and 20-29 around the end
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
OUT AND ABOUT
Activities are on the upswing all around P14