Register now for online webinar: Tuesday, June 9, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wildfire & Smoke Readiness in Long-Term Care Facility and Home Health Settings: Actionable Strategies for Protecting Health during Wildfire Smoke Events

 

To: Administrators, Directors and Staff From: Melanie Roth, Emergency Response Coordinator, Health Facilities & Emergency Medical Services Division Re: Register Now for CDPHE “Wildfire & Smoke Readiness in Long-Term Care Facility and Home Health Settings: Actionable Strategies for Protecting Individuals’ Health During Wildfire Smoke Events” Based on forecasts and early 2026 data, Colorado is facing an exceptionally dangerous wildfire season, largely driven by severe drought and record-low snowpack. State officials warned in late April 2026 that the state is facing a challenging fire year with risks elevated across the Western Slope and the Front Range.   Join us on Tuesday, June 9, from 11:00 am-12:30 pm for a free, live webinar on the impacts and implications of wildfires and smoke in Colorado and steps you can take to prepare and respond to these events to protect your clients, residents and patients: Potential for danger from wildfires and smoke   Components of wildfire smoke and short and long-term health effects  More susceptible populations; signs and symptoms of wildfire smoke  Projections for Spring and Summer 2026; staying informed on wildfire smoke conditions Actionable strategies for protecting health during wildfire smoke events Reducing the impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality Steps to protecting your patients, residents, and clients from wildfire smoke, including remote health checks for persons receiving care at home When evacuation becomes necessary  Speakers include:  Radhika Ratnabalasuriar, MD, Medical Epidemiologist, Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician, Medical Epidemiology Unit Molly Middleton, MPH, Environmental Epidemiologist and Colorado Environmental Public Health Tracking Program Manager, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability  Kristen Good, MEM, PhD, Health Equity Branch Deputy Chief, Occupational Health and Wildfire Smoke Preparedness Programs Manager, Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response Melanie Roth-Lawson, Emergency Response Coordinator/Trainer, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division We encourage you to share this training with your staff. Register for the webinar.  Please use this webinar link to join the meeting on Tuesday, June 9 @ 11:00 AM  Meeting ID: 896 2236 8744; Passcode: 918322  Please add the meeting information and link to your calendar for Tuesday, June 9 @ 11:00 AM. If you have any questions, please contact Melanie.Roth-Lawson@state.co.us

Understanding Dementia, A Course for Caregivers, 4-hour Basic Dementia Training

 

In 2022, the Colorado legislature passed SB 22-079, CRS section 25-1.5-118, requiring all direct-care staff who work in Assisted Living facilities to complete at least 4 hours of basic Dementia training and 2 hours of continuing education every 2 years. Facilities are responsible for making the required training available to direct-care staff at no cost.  The Department is pleased to announce a new 4-hour basic Dementia e-learning course, titled Understanding Dementia, A Course for Caregivers, that is now available to all direct-care staff throughout the state. The course, developed in partnership with an outside vendor, satisfies the requirements for initial dementia training and is available for free in both English and Spanish. To access the training, staff must log in or register for a CoTrain account.  CoTrain Website How to register:  To register for CoTrain, please create an account and then create your Train Profile.   How to create an account How to complete your CoTrain profile How to access the training: Once you’ve set up your CoTrain account, Please log in and search for Course ID 1134696 to access the dementia learning series in English. For the dementia learning series in Spanish it is Course ID 1134697. Next, click the green “Register” button at the top right of the screen. Didn’t receive a verification code after setting up your CoTrain Account? Check your spam folder. If the email is not in your spam folder, the email may be blocked by your agency, and you will need to speak with your IT department. The dementia course is listed as a 4-hour course, but once I register, the complete list of modules shows a total of seven hours. Which is correct? The course is approximately four hours long. However, because it is a learning series, each module had to be listed separately with a minimum time of one hour. Please note, this is a self-paced course, and the length to complete the course is dependent on the individual. The dementia course is a series of modules. You will need to follow these directions to access the next lesson after completing each module: After completing a lesson, select the "Exit Module" button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will be taken back to the module homepage. Select the back arrow on the upper left side (under the title) to go back to the course menu. Select the next module to complete the course.  Select the green "Launch" button, and begin the next module. Continue to follow the directions to complete the series. If you have any questions regarding the training, please reach out to Dr. Steve Cox, Branch Chief, Home and Community Facilities at steve.cox@state.co.us. For assistance with setting up your CoTrain Account, please review the Tutorials or contact cdphe.co.train@state.co.us. If you continue to have issues, please reach out to Tonie Miller at tonie.miller@state.co.us.

REGISTER NOW: Extreme Heat Webinar for Healthcare Providers w/ CDPHE experts on Thurs., March 26, from 10-11:30 AM

 

To: Administrators, Directors and Staff From: Melanie Roth, Emergency Response Coordinator, Health Facilities & Emergency Medical Services Division Re: Register Now for CDPHE Extreme Heat Webinar for Healthcare Facilities and Agencies with CDPHE Staff Extreme heat events in Colorado are increasing in duration, frequency, and intensity as a result of climate change. These accelerating changes have led to a rise in human exposure to harmful temperatures, and we’re seeing the repercussions of that on the health of communities that lack resources to adapt to or recover from heat.   Join us on Thursday, March 26, from 10-11:30 AM for a live webinar on the impacts and implications of extreme heat in Colorado and populations at risk including your clients, residents and patients. Learn steps you can take to prepare and respond to the warm season ahead. Better understand how extreme heat is impacting Colorado and the impact of extreme heat on our bodies and the environment Review climate projections for Spring and Summer 2026 Recognize the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses Discuss persons most at risk and populations of concern Steps to protecting your patients, residents, and clients from extreme heat Monitoring your weather online using National Weather Service (NWS) resources. Components of an extreme heat emergency plan or annex Speakers include:  Radhika Ratnabalasuriar, MD Medical Epidemiologist, Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician, Medical Epidemiology Unit  Molly Middleton, MPH, Environmental Epidemiologist and Colorado Environmental Public Health Tracking Program Manager, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability  Molly Kadota, MPH - Healthy Communities Coordinator, Healthy Communities Unit, Prevention Services Division. Henry Mitchell, Public Health Operations Branch Chief, Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response  Mallory Roybal, MPH, MURP, Senior Sustainability and Research Specialist,Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency (CASR) Melanie Roth-Lawson, Emergency Response Coordinator/Trainer, HFEMSD We encourage you to share this training with your staff. Register here to get the training link (class is free). For more information, contact Melanie Roth-Lawson atMelanie.Roth-Lawson@state.co.us.

Provider Training: Conducting Resident Interviews, Section Z, and CAAs

To: MDS Coordinators, Directors of Nursing, Billing and Coding Personnel, Licensed Nursing Facilities Administrators  From: Staff Orientation and Provider Support Program (SOPS) of the Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division (HFEMSD) Provider Training: Conducting Resident Interviews, Section Z, and CAAs This training will guide how to appropriately conduct resident interviews in order to accurately code the MDS, review the completion dates and signatures in Section Z and CAAs, and gain a better understanding of validation surveys. The training will be offered both in-person and virtually. Please email Wendy Castro if you plan on attending. This information is needed for room capacity (in-person) and to provide you with the Google link (virtual). Please add the meeting information below to your calendar. When: January 22, 2026 Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: Lemay Avenue Health & Rehab Facility, 4824 S Lemay Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525 Hosted By: Cottonwood Healthcare Join by phone Dial: (530) 481-6042‬ PIN: ‪630 918 834‬# Questions? Contact wendy.castro@state.co.us or cdphe_mds_colorado@state.co.us

EVS Infection Prevention & Control Workshops

 

To: Healthcare Professionals From: CDPHE’s HAI Project Firstline Team Project Firstline provides infection control training for frontline healthcare workers on how to recognize and stop infection risks. CDPHE’s Project Firstline team has developed training specific to the role of our EVS professionals.   EVS-specific infection prevention and control training will be covered over the course of three sessions. Topics include the concept of infection control, environmental cleaning and disinfection, linen and laundry, and medical waste.   To accommodate various schedules, we have created four “tracks” that include three separate sessions to cover the curriculum in half hour sessions. Dates for each session are listed for each track below. Register in advance.   Track 1: July 16, July 23, and July 30 at 8:00 am Track 2: July 17, July 24, and July 31 at 10:00 am   Track 3: July 18, July 25, and August 1 at 2:00 pm  *Spanish* Track: August 13, August 20, and August 27 at 8:00 am     If you have questions, email cdphe_project_firstline@state.co.us. .

Provider Training: OASIS-E: Section M - Skin Conditions

 

To: Home Health Agencies, Administrators, OASIS Coordinators, and Clinicians  From: The Health Facilities Education and Quality (HFEQ) Branch of the Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division (HFEMSD) Provider Training: OASIS-E: Section M - Skin Conditions The training focuses on the ability to accurately identify and assess the presence of pressure ulcers/injuries, stasis ulcers, and surgical wounds and provides insight and tips to aid in the accurate coding of the OASIS assessment. A web-based training will be available on Tuesday, July 9th, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Select the link to register for the virtual training, Course ID: 1121509.  If you are unable to attend the virtual training, the course is available as a self-study training on Train. Select the link or search on Train.org for Course ID: 1121329 or the title "OASIS-E: Section M: Skin Conditions''. Always as a reminder, our complete offering of training opportunities for providers can be found at:  HFEMSD Provider Training Catalog Other questions? Contact wendy.castro@state.co.us or cdphe_mds_colorado@state.co.us .

New Course Available on COTrain: "Extreme Heat: Preparing Your Healthcare Residents, Patients, and Clients”

 

To: Administrators, Directors and Staff From:  Greg Schlosser, Branch Chief, Health Facility Education and Quality, Health Facilities & Emergency Services Division Re:   NEW FREE COURSE: "Extreme Heat: Preparing Your Healthcare Residents, Patients, and Clients” A new class, "Extreme Heat: Preparing Your Healthcare Residents, Patients, and Clients" is now live on COTrain. The course I.D. # is 1121335. We encourage you to share this class with your staff. Extreme heat events in Colorado are increasing in duration, frequency, and intensity as a result of climate change. And we’re seeing the repercussions of that on the health of communities that, unfortunately, are not used to the heat, or not set up to deal with the heat. These accelerating changes have led to a rise in human exposure to harmful temperatures. At the end of this module, you will understand: Extreme heat and its impact on our bodies;   Heat illness, persons most at risk, and other populations of concern; Steps to protecting your patients, residents, and clients from extreme heat; Monitoring your weather online using National Weather Service (NWS) resources. Components of an extreme heat emergency plan or annex. Always as a reminder, our complete offering of training opportunities for providers can be found at:  HFEMSD Provider Training Catalog For more information or if you have any questions, please reach out to Melanie Roth at 720-291-5929 or Melanie.Roth-Lawson@state.co.us. .

Explore the essential role movement plays in your life! Register for the CO-CARES Work & Well-Being Webinar on physical activity

To: All health care and public health workers From: CO-CARES Team (Colorado Alliance for Resilient & Equitable Systems) Serving the health care and public health workforce Help your staff to learn evidence-based information about physical activity! The CO-CARES Work & Well-Being Webinar: Physical Activity is a useful resource for all employees. Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm MT While we all know that physical activity is important and benefits our health, there are times when life just gets in the way. Many of us hold unhelpful beliefs and assumptions about what we should do that prevents us from doing what we want to do to be active. As we examine the evidence-base about how physical activity affects our body, mind, and spirit, we can reconnect with the play, resilience, and well-being that it can bring to our everyday experience.  Join us as we explore the essential role movement plays in our life. We will help you to identify physical activities you enjoy, benefits of being active, and a goal that inspires you to move. Register for the webinar!  CO-CARES Work & Well-Being webinars are held every other month. Check out our page on the CO-CARES website for details and registration for all the upcoming Work & Well-Being webinars. For further information, contact the Behavioral Health & Wellness Program team at: bh.wellness@ucdenver.edu. .

New Firstline mobile app-antimicrobial stewardship in the palm of your hand

 

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) supports antimicrobial stewardship in all healthcare settings. Treatment guidelines that support appropriate use of antibiotics are a priority intervention that can help prescribers optimize antibiotic selection and duration and help antimicrobial stewardship programs to conduct prospective audit and feedback and preauthorization activities. CDPHE promotes Firstline as a source of stewardship-oriented treatment guidelines that can be adapted for use by facilities and prescribers in Colorado.   Children’s Hospital Colorado and Denver Health have partnered with Firstline to create a mobile app to support antimicrobial stewardship in Colorado. Firstline houses clinical pathways from Children’s Colorado and Denver Health, along with antimicrobial dosing information, pathogen information, infection prevention information, and more. It is intended for use in all clinical settings. The app is free to download, and is available on iOS and Android devices, as well as a web-based format. No matter your specialty or practice, we are all stewards. We can all work together in keeping Colorado healthy, one antibiotic choice at a time.   How to Download: Click here or go to https://firstline.org/colorado/ to find and download our app. Once downloaded, you can set your location to Denver Health and/or Children’s Colorado to access all of our materials. Once in the app, clicking on the Firstline logo in the top left corner will allow you to toggle between locations to access adult vs pediatric guidance.   Contact the Children’s Colorado Firstline group at michael.bozzella@childrenscolorado.org or contact the HAI/AR Program at cdphe_hai_ar@state.co.us for more information.

An Antidote to the Post Pandemic Blues at No Cost to Your Nursing Home

 

To: Nursing Home Providers From: Education & Technical Assistance Team, Health Facilities & EMS Division The Live Oak Regenerative Community project is inviting nursing homes and leadership teams to participate in the Live Oak Regenerative Community project, beginning in November 2023.  The project is funded by the Colorado Nursing Home Innovations Board, so there is no cost to providers.The project requires an investment in time and focus. Its purpose is to create a vital resident centered community in your home that continually energizes a process of learning, growth and connection. Its effectiveness has been documented internationally for more than 45 years. Here are some of the specifics about the project: Participation is required for a leadership team consisting of the Administrator, Director of Nursing, Activity Director, Social Worker, Director of Staff Development and one or more Certified Nursing Assistants; Participation by your team in a 90-minute webinar followed by a two-day retreat on November 1st and 2nd for the whole team; Each team member will receive a Live Oak Regenerative Community Source Book, as a handy tool box containing everything you need to know to implement the project and poster-size teaching materials to use in community meetings; Creation of an action plan at the retreat for introduction of the daily community meeting in your home; Participation in training webinars to increase your team’s skills and expertise in implementing community meetings - in creating the there there that makes your home a living center; Participation by the Community Development Team in a one-day midway recharge;  Participation in resident climate surveys at the beginning and close of the project to provide you with documented evidence of the improved quality of life for residents within your home; The Live Oak Regenerative Community project team will be available for consultation and will provide special webinars as you need it. The only criteria for participation are:    The written agreement of each member of the home’s leadership team to actively participate in building a Community Development Team in your home; and The home agrees to initiate a daily resident community meeting. To learn more about how you can participate in the Live Oak Regenerative Community grant, contact Beth Irtz, Project Director, at 303-495-4805 or liveoakrc.co@gmail.com.

Webinar: Up to Date Vaccination Status: Surveillance Definition Change for Long Term Care Facilities

 

To: Federally Certified Skilled Nursing/Long Term Care Facilities - Administrators, Directors of Nursing, MDS Coordinators, Billing and Coding Personnel, Licensed Nursing Facilities Administrators From: The Health Facilities Education and Quality (HFEQ) Branch of the Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division (HFEMSD) CMS and CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Vaccination Team will be hosting multiple webinars to review important changes to the surveillance definition of Up to Date with COVID-19 vaccines for long-term care facilities reporting vaccination data and RIFC Pathway data through the NHSN Vaccination and COVID-19 Modules. Key Points: FDA approved updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines for this fall/winter season. The bivalent vaccines are no longer authorized as of 9/12/2023. CDC recommends everyone aged 6 months and older should receive the 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19 and to remain up to date. Under the new recommendations, most individuals will not be up to date with COVID-19 vaccines until they receive the 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccine. The new definition of up to date with COVID-19 vaccines will apply for NHSN surveillance beginning the week of September 25, 2023 – October 1, 2023 (the first week of reporting Quarter 4 2023). The new definition applies to both the NHSN Weekly HCP and Resident Vaccination Forms and the NHSN COVID-19 Surveillance Pathways (RIFC Form). Webinar Dates and Registration:   Topic: Up to Date Vaccination Status: Surveillance Definition Change for Long Term Care Facilities (Replay)  When: September 25, 2023, 1:00PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  Register in advance for this webinar using the above link.    Topic: Up to Date Vaccination Status: Surveillance Definition Change for Long Term Care Facilities (Replay)  When: October 2, 2023, 1:00PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  Register in advance for this webinar using the above link.  Registration Information for Upcoming Training Webinars   Please register in advance and plan to attend the initial session and/or the replay to learn more about the new updates. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The initial webinar and the webinar replays will cover the same information; therefore, you may only need to attend once but may attend more than one.    For any questions, please send an e-mail to the NHSN Helpdesk at NHSN@cdc.gov with “COVID-19 Vaccination” in the subject line of the e-mail, along with your facility type.   Wendy Castro - CDPHE  MDS State Training Coordinator  wendy.castro@state.co.us  303-692-2854

Join NHSN Colorado Group Office Hour on 4/5/2023

 

Please join us at our National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Colorado Group Office Hour webinar on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 from 1:00 – 1:30 MST.   The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program, offers NHSN Colorado user group office hours every two months via webinar to provide updates and training related to NSHN. Staff will provide a brief presentation followed by a question and answer session. The office hours are not required but are an opportunity for your facility to ask questions about reporting requirements in Colorado and request NHSN technical support. If you need assistance on NHSN errors or have any other NHSN related questions, please help us maximize the NHSN office hours and feel free to stop by for any amount of time you like.   Intended audience: Acute Care Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals, Inpatient Rehab Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgery Centers reporting to NHSN   Agenda for April 5th office hour: ·         Colorado HAI/AR program update. ·         Antimicrobial Stewardship and the NHSN AUR Module. ·         Discussion.   Please register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYvdOGgrzIoHNSn42ftzmaQx22ol-YFVP2F   After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.   Please let us know if there are any specific topics or content you would like to see in our next office hour webinar planned for June 7, 2023.   For comments, concerns, or questions, please contact Lynda Saignaphone at lynda.saignaphone@state.co.us.

Join the new LTC National Infection Prevention Forum

 

To: Long-term care facilities   From: CDPHE’s Infection Prevention Program   Body of Message: The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has partnered with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) to set up a national forum for infection preventionists and infection prevention champions working in long-term care (LTC). The forum provides a platform to rapidly disseminate updates and resources about infections in LTC as they become available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA). The goal is to foster collaboration and sharing of experiences between IPs and other infection control champions in LTC. Participants will be encouraged to answer questions and share resources and tools.   If you are interested in participating, please complete this three-question survey to provide your name and email.   This is open to all LTC professionals focusing on infection prevention regardless of their infection prevention certification status or membership in either APIC or AHCA. This forum will utilize the “Connect Communities” platform which allows the creation of email threads to keep discussions grouped, posts of resources and tools in an organized library, and the ability to view lists of participants in the forum. For questions, please contact us at LTC-NIPFhelp@ahca.org.   Questions can be sent to Project Firstline.