The Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC) hosted its first quarter Hot Topics Health Forum on March 17th, 2018 and it was a hit! This health forum was fashioned after speed-dating style discussions. There were 4 ‘speed-dating’ style sessions addressing the following topics.
- Opoid Crisis – Dwyane Meeks, Executive Director of Urban Colors – Arts and Mentoring, presented on challenges facing the Community regarding treatment for drug abuse. He stated Education is now the new civil rights and that we need to equip our children to use it as a tool. Urban Colors is a non-profit organization focused on educating and empowering fathers and families – advocating for social and authoritative changes resulting in healthy and nurturing connections of fathers and mothers with their children.
- Go to http://www.urbancolors.org/home.html to learn more about Programs and Services, and how to make a difference.
- Homelessness Crisis – Hassan Latif. Executive Director of Second Chance Center, discussed the crisis and challenges facing people of Color and homelessness in Colorado, and how the Second Chance Center is helping to address the need and provide resources to help those who have formerly been incarcerated.
- Go to https://www.scccolorado.org/ to learn about the resources and services provided by the Second Chance Center.
- Mental Wellness – Stress and Depression – Randy S. Craven, Professional Therapist with Craven & Associates Counselling, addressed the topic of mental health in the Black community. He spoke about the barriers and challenges the community faces, and the role health insurance can play in helping the community.
- Visit http://cravencounseling.net to learn more about services provided.
- Health Insurance Literacy – CBHC partnered with Connect for Health Colorado who spoke about Health Insurance Literacy and how important it is for the Community to become knowledgeable and informed about how to navigate the health insurance system. Ezra Watland, …., shared that with Medicaid expansion there are now more than ½ million new people on Medicaid. Ezra shared that 69% of people who sign up for a health insurance plan obtain financial assistance.
- Go to http://connectforhealthco.com to get started and apply for health insurance, learn more about available resource, and/or to obtain help from a Broker and/or Assister.
We learned from Solwazi Johnson, Principal at Mindfulness Meditation, that not all stress is bad, and that stress yields physiological, psychological and emotion responses. Solwazi discussed the distinctions between hyper and hypo and that Eu Stress is good stress and De Stress is harmful stress. Balance is the critical key to managing stress.
The speed-dating Health Forum was chocked full of information and helped members of the community to become more knowledgeable.