Tell your legislator to stop the growing opioid epidemic and prioritize youth opioid prevention by supporting the Youth Opioid Prevention Fund (SB19-228)
Why is this important?
The opioid epidemic is swiftly sweeping across Colorado and is not just a public health emergency but a children’s health crisis. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found the number of children admitted to hospitals for opioid-related diagnoses has nearly doubled from 2004 to 2015.
While there is a keen focus on supporting those battling addictions, educating medical providers, and altering the distribution of opioid prescriptions, to date there is no government-funding targeted at young people and preventing usage or offsetting the impacts of family and or peer opioid abuse. This fund would provide community organizations with funding to use evidence-based programming that will address opioid and related health risk factor prevention for children and youth up to age 19.
Colorado's children need this fund!
