Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Great American Smokeout November 20


CDPHE is a tobacco free campus. Download the Tobacco Free Workplace Policy here or via the intranet “CDPHE Policies” link.

Learn more about your health benefits via the Department of Personnel & Administration and your state health benefit provider-

And you can always find great information and resources at TobaccoFreeCO.org which is funded by CDPHE.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

#ShareWellness for National Wellness Week

National Wellness Week
#ShareWellness
National Wellness Week BadgePracticing wellness is essential to behavioral health. During SAMHSA's 4th annual National Wellness Week, use Facebook and Twitter to share how you enhance your physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, financial, occupational, and environmental wellness. Use the hashtag#ShareWellness when you post a photo, video, or message of your favorite health and wellness activities.
Stay involved in the #ShareWellness social media conversation to learn more about wellness and gather ideas for new wellness activities that could improve your overall health and well-being. For more information about SAMHSA's National Wellness Week2014, stay connected with SAMHSA on Twitter (@samhsagov) and Facebook.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Wednesday, September 17 Cherry Creek Clean Up

Cherry Creek Clean Up




Come join the Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability Clean Up the Creek.

All employees are encouraged to donate their lunch hour (between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.) to cleaning up Cherry Creek. We will be joined by colleagues from the National Environmental Health Association.


Participants will be entered into a drawing for various gift cards courtesy of the Employee Council. If you have questions, contact Kirk Mills at extension 2977.


Please meet anytime from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 17, at the flagpole east of Building A.


Use your daily wellness break to clean up!

Monday, September 8, 2014


2-candles-sm.jpg

Light a candle of hope...
State employees are invited to wear yellow and gray
on Wednesday, Sept. 10 for World Suicide Prevention Day. 

The Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (C-SEAP) and Colorado State Employee Wellness Program, which are part of the Department of Personnel & Administration, along with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's (CDPHE) Office of Suicide Prevention, the Colorado Department of Human Services and the Carson J Spencer Foundation, have joined together to call attention to the State's suicide prevention efforts.

"We're asking people to wear yellow and gray not only to raise awareness about suicide, but to convey a message of hope," said C-SEAP Director Randi Wood. "We want to visibly demonstrate to those suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts that we support them on their journey from darkness to light."

State employees can pick up a free yellow and gray ribbon sticker and access other important informational resources between 8 and 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 at C-SEAP's offices, 1525 Sherman St. Stickers will also be handed out to visitors at the Colorado State Capitol on Wednesday morning.

The national theme for this year's suicide prevention efforts is connectedness. Everyone is invited to help raise suicide awareness by posting photos of their yellow and gray outfits and ribbons via social media venues using the hashtags #suicideprevention and #COconnected.

Also on Sept. 10, people are encouraged to light a candle in a window to raise awareness and remember those lost to suicide, or attend a candle-lighting ceremony hosted by the Carson J Spencer Foundation from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. at Denver Union Station.

In 2013, suicide ranked above motor vehicle accidents as the number one injury-related cause of death in the state. CDPHE reports that Colorado regularly ranks in the top 10 states annually for suicides. 

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a proclamation designating the week of Sept. 7 through 13, 2014, as Suicide Prevention Week. The proclamation indicates that many Coloradans are struggling to cope with the pressures of mental illness, a stressed economy, substance abuse or other factors that render them thinking suicide is their only alternative.

CDPHE offers all Colorado citizens assistance through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline -- an online and telephone resource to help those in a suicide crisis. "One of the major challenges facing those who suffer from mental illness or substance abuse is the stigma that is associated with seeking help," said Jarrod Hindman, director of the CDPHE's Office of Suicide Prevention.  "We need to reduce the social pressure that keeps some from seeking life-saving assistance, and recognize this as a winnable battle." 

C-SEAP offers no cost, confidential counseling services for State employees and their families at locations throughout the state. Individual services include drug and alcohol, work and family, couples/relationship, domestic violence, stress, and grief or loss counseling and can be accessed at www.colorado.gov/cseap  or by calling 1-800-821-8154. State employees may also have additional coverage through their health benefits provider. The State Employee Wellness Program has also incorporated mental health into an online program for employees.

"The State believes that early intervention and counseling can help reverse the trend of suicidal thoughts and actions, and we intend to educate as many State employees as we can about suicide prevention," said Wood.

Colorado also recently opened its first statewide mental health hotline, the Colorado Crisis and Support Line. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provides crisis counseling and resource referral from trained professionals and peer specialists for Coloradans experiencing a mental health crisis or with a loved one in crisis. The toll-free number is 844-493-TALK (8255).

"One of our most promising suicide prevention strategies is to 'get upstream,'" said Sally Spencer-Thomas, CEO and Co-Founder of the Carson J Spencer Foundation. "Programs the State is implementing -- like the Working Minds program -- encourage working-aged people to think about their problems in a different way, before problems become catastrophic."

For more information on suicide prevention, please visit the following resources:

Friday, August 29, 2014

Colorado Fourteeners Initiative CDPHE Trail Maintenance September 8 on Mt. Bierstadt


We had a great experience with CFI on July 20th. We hiked to about 12,000 feet to a small area with a creek and learned about how our actions on trails can affect the delicate ecosystem. Through CFI we were taught about the importance of staying on paths, Leave No Trace principles, how to minimize damage and restore trampled and eroded areas.  
In 6 hours we were briefed, ascended to our destination, worked to restore a non-designated trail by placing rocks and planting new vegetation, then we descended to our starting point.  It was hard but rewarding.  Everyone should appreciate the beautiful landscape we have here in Colorado.  Since our time with CFI, I have utilized all of the tips we received during our time on Mt. Democrat. I recommend everyone take time to experience volunteering with CFI and learn how we can maintain our mountain trails and ecosystems. To register for September 8, 2014 trail event on Mt. Bierstadt email CDPHE_HELM@state.co.us









Friday, August 15, 2014

Join Michelle Hansen for the Tour de Cure Colorado - Team DPP-CDPHE


Follow this Link to Sign up or DONATE for Team DPP-CDPHE
Diabetes Prevention Program and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Monday, May 5, 2014

Wellness Brown Bag - Tuesday, May 6, 12-1 - Carson

Practicing Resiliency:
Practical tools to effectively manage stress  are essential to keep trained professionals healthy and fit for service. Drawing on recent resiliency research and successful studies with military combat veterans, the Practicing Resiliency brown bag will cover the main ingredients to adapting and growing during stress and change with tools to build your resilience. 

Jonathan works as a behavioral health specialist for the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response developing and overseeing projects to mitigate the effects of extreme stressors in collaboration with first responder groups, faith based groups, and academic institutions. 


Friday, April 4, 2014

Wellness Workshop - Sexual Health - Tuesday, April 15 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.



Have you ever wondered how you might have that conversation with your children about sex and sexual health? Have you ever thought... "I don't know if I have all the right information", and just hoped that they would learn about it in school? Parents are often the ones young people look to first when they start to have questions about sex and sexual health. Join the workshop to increase overall communication around sex and sexual health, increase your confidence and abilities related to the topic and give you a greater knowledge of where and how to access resources related to sexual health.

We are excited to host the two-hour workshop of Roots and Wings. The workshop was developed by Colorado Youth Matter, a statewide non-profit focused on improving youth sexual health. The workshop will be facilitated by Mary Jane Cassalia and Lesley Del Rio, who are part of the Children Youth and Families Branch, and a staff member from Colorado Youth Matter. Mary Jane and Lesley work on the Maternal and Child Health priority of improving youth sexual health. A key part of this work is helping parents and other trusted adults have the tools and resources they need related to the topic. 

Please sign up here so we can make sure we have enough materials for everyone.