This Monday and Wednesday are early enrollment deadlines for Colorado’s Universal Preschool.
According to a Governor’s Office press release, over 19,000 applications have already been submitted for the free, 15-hour-per-week childcare.
Governor Jared Polis added that the program saves Coloradans an average of $6,100 each year while providing youth “the best possible start.”
The state initiative connects any child in the year before kindergarten with one of 1,900 providers, including home, school and community-based preschool programs.
According to the press release, 90% of families last year were matched with their first or second choice; but, early enrollment increases the odds of receiving first choice.
KEY ENROLLMENT DEADLINES:
Feb. 3: Pre-registration deadline for families continuing care with a participating provider, with a sibling enrolled, or with a family member employed by the provider.
Feb. 5: Last chance to enroll before the first round of family-to-provider matching. Families applying by this date increase their odds of securing a top-choice preschool.
March 5: Deadline before the last round of family-to-provider matching. Families can still enroll afterward, as space allows.
Families can learn more and apply by visiting UPK.Colorado.Gov, calling 303-866-5223 or emailing universalpreschool@state.co.us.
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The pharmacy and family responsible for “creating the opioid crisis” are on the hook for $7.4 billion after settling a multi-state lawsuit.
If the settlement is approved in its final fairness hearing, Colorado is expected to receive $81 million, adding to the state’s existing $787 million in opioid settlement funds.
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The settlement will also revoke ownership of Purdue Pharma from members of the Sackler family, the dynasty in charge of Purdue since 1952. The family and pharmacy will also be barred from selling any form of opioid in the U.S.
According to a press release from Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, the bulk of the settlement will be distributed over three years, but it will take 15 years to secure all the funds.
A bankruptcy settlement from 2021 initially required Purdue and the Sacklers to pay over $5.5 billion, but it was overturned by the Federal Supreme Court last year due to concerns with a condition of the settlement that would protect the Sacklers from any future liability or litigation.
Weiser said in a press release that this settlement contains no such terms.
On Friday, Weiser’s office announced another multi-state settlement with Pfizer subsidiary Biohaven Pharmaceuticals to the tune of $59 million — for illegal kickbacks incentivizing doctors to prescribe their migraine medication.
The Health Headlines segment generally features at least one report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but external communications from the CDC and other federal health organizations ceased 10 days ago.
The absence stems from a directive under the Department of Health and Human Services acting Secretary Dorothy Fink.
The memo issued an “immediate pause” on releasing any regulations, guidance documents, social media posts or other public documents to the public.
The freeze also prohibited the publication of scientific studies and research reports, including the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. KFF Health News reported that – until now – the journal had been publicized without interruption since 1952.
According to the memo, the directive will allow the President’s appointees and designees an “opportunity to review and approve” the materials while “the new Administration considers its plans for managing the federal policy and public communications processes.”
A former HHS official told AP News it’s not necessarily rare for agency communications to be paused and reviewed by a new administration. Although, they added that the president’s transition team typically completes that process by inauguration day.
This directive was made one day after Trump’s inauguration and is expected to last until today, Feb 1 – if not longer.
Fink added in her memo that “the President’s appointees intend to review documents and communications expeditiously and return to a more regular process as soon as possible.”
Health Headlines is a Sentinel feature compiled by Jace DiCola, health and wellness reporter. Email him at jace.dicola@gjsentinel.com