Resources to Assist Patients and Families for Advanced Care Planning

1. Watch the COVID-19 TCP Presentation to learn advance care planning basics.  Link to Video
2. Use this two-page guide Link to The Conversation Project's Being Prepared in the Time of COVID-19 Guide and start talking today with a trusted loved one in person, by phone, or video chat.
3. Complete a Medical Durable Power of Attorney Document MDPOA (unless already completed, accurate and available)

• Link to Colorado MDPOA Form
• Colorado Website to help with process - (content in English & Spanish/large text option)

4. Review the  Link to the COVID-19 Treatment Decision Guide.  If you go to the hospital and become seriously ill, these are the questions you will likely be asked.
1. If you do have a family member admitted to the hospital, don’t forget their phone & charger.

5. Remember to take care of yourself: Link to Remembering the Heart in Turbulent times
6. Contact your medical provider for questions and to ensure they know you and your loved one’s decisions.
7. Link to Caregiver Support/Info Resources

Governor Polis COVID-19 Update April 10, 2020

Quick Links to Stay Up to Date

• Governor’s Facebook Page

• Covid19.colorado.gov

• Stay At Home Guide

Top line Update
As of today we have 6,508 cases, 241 deaths, and 1,297 hospitalizations out of 32,653 completed tests. Our thoughts and our hearts go out to the impacted families and communities during these trying times.

There are two notable deaths that we mourn today: 21-year-old Cody Lyster who was a baseball player at Colorado Mesa University and 13-year-old Charlotte Figi who was a brave advocate for medical cannabis that passed away due to complications stemming from an illness that experts say was likely COVID-19. This virus affects everyone differently and we all need to take it seriously and protect ourselves. 

Four-Tier System Patient Management

Last week, the Governor unveiled our four-tier system of hospitalization so that we can deliver the appropriate level of care to patients and make sure that our State can handle the coming surge. We thank our Hospitals for their flexibility in being creative with their space to have the ICU capacity we will need. Below is a summary of each tier: 

• TIER 1 - Critical Care: seriously ill patients will be cared for at hospitals, critical access hospitals, long-term acute care; 

• TIER 2 - Acute Care: patients that are step down from critical care will be cared for at ambulatory surgical centers, freestanding emergency departments, critical access hospitals;

• TIER 3 - Ambulatory Sub-Acute Care: patients that still need daily monitoring but no longer need acute care will be transferred to and cared for at large spaces that can be converted to field hospitals such as arenas, convention centers, stadiums, and warehouses; 

• TIER 4 - Non-Acute Care: patients who are asymptomatic and our homeless population will be cared for at hotels, dorms, skilled nursing facilities, and others. 

Convention Center Field Hospital Construction

Today, the Governor addressed the press from the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The Convention Center is a Tier 3 facility. Work on this site began 48 hours ago and construction is ongoing. There are 300 people working on it right now and 400 will be working on it tomorrow. Most working on the convention center construction are Coloradans, and we thank the Army Corps of Engineers and all the civilian workers who are helping us to build this field hospital. This is Colorado leading the way!  When complete, the convention center will be able to accommodate nearly 2,000 patients, going a long way to protecting our health care system by decompressing our hospitals. We expect this alternate care facility to be operational in late April.

We are establishing a similar alternate care site in Loveland at the Ranch complex and are working with local authorities for additional sites throughout the state so we can ensure that we have the capacity to handle the coming surge of patients.

It's important to remind people that these sites are designed to decompress and protect our hospitals and will only take patients who are transferred from the hospitals.  

• These are not walk-up facilities.

• People cannot come into alternate care sites like this one for immediate medical assistance.  

• They should seek care from their provider or a hospital, where the medical professionals will determine what level of care they will need.

We hope that we will not need to use these facilities, but regardless we are taking appropriate steps to make sure we are well-prepared in the event that we need this additional capacity for non-critical and non-acute patients.

Stay At Home CO Online Resources

Earlier this week, the Governor unveiled a new website: stayathomeco.colorado.gov, which links to free resources that support Coloradans to stay at home, from wellness, to critical services, to education, to entertainment, and so much more.

One business we would like to spotlight is Gaia, which is a local, Colorado-based company that is offering free yoga, fitness, meditation and healthy cooking classes for both kids and adults to enjoy together, safely at home on our StayAtHomeCO website.

We want to provide as many resources as possible to the public, so we added a "Suggest a Resource" link. If you know of FREE resources that all Coloradans with an internet connection can access that promote a positive stay-at-home culture and if it fits with our page, we will add it! The webpage will get better the more Coloradans engage with it.

Small Business Relief

There have been issues with implementation of federal small business relief programs / availability of funds. Please call the OEDIT COVID hotline number for small businesses for assistance at 303.860.5881 or visit choosecolorado.com for more information. 

Relief for Renters 

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Division of Housing awarded more than $1.9 million of emergency assistance to 19 agencies to serve low income Coloradans in need of emergency rental and mortgage assistance due to economic hardship due to COVID-19. Two organizations will provide assistance to eligible Coloradans in all 64 counties: Salvation Army and Colorado Housing Connects. These emergency awards are expected to serve more than 2,200 Coloradans. For more information on accessing these funds, please call DOLA at 303-864-7810 or 303-864-7852. Additionally, the Division of Housing has developed an Eviction Resources Map that can be used, along with the 2-1-1 Help Center, to help renters avoid eviction. 

*UPDATE* - Colorado COVID Relief Fund

We are proud to announce today that the Colorado COVID Relief Fund hit the $10 million dollar mark. This is just the beginning for this fund. In less than a month since the Governor announced the creation of the fund and only three weeks since the fund started accepting donations, we’ve raised $10,003,282. Many have given in small dollar donations totaling $1,137,782. 

We know there are still so many needs across our state and communities that need our help. In our first round of applications, for prevention and impact, we received over 1100 applications and will only be able to fund 17% in this round. As we continue to build this fund, our ask must be big. 

Today, the Colorado Health Foundation is announcing a $2 million match to launch us into this next phase. If you know of any foundations, businesses and individuals you know that can pitch in, our team is happy to connect with you or anyone you think can help. Reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] to learn how you can get involved. And if you know a community based organization in need of funding, please encourage them toapply here.

CDPHE Provides Overview of Crisis Standards of Care

April 12, 2020

HEALTH ADVISORY ​| Colorado Crisis Standards of Care activated for PPE & EMS | April 9, 2019

Health care providers: Please distribute widely in your office

Key points

• ●  Governor Jared Polis has authorized, and State Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric France has activated the Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) for personal protective equipment (PPE) and emergency medical services (EMS).

• ●  CSC for hospitals have ​not​ been activated as of April 9, 2020.

• ●  The Crisis Standards of Care are available at ​colorado.gov/cdphe/colorado-crisis-standards-care

Background information

Crisis Standards of Care describe the medical standards of practice during times of crisis, including how the medical community should allocate scarce resources in the extreme case when health care needs exceed the resources available. The standards describe practices that can be put in place during public health emergencies and can provide extra legal liability protection to health care workers. The Governor’s Expert Epidemic Response Committee (GEEERC) adopted revised standards on April 5, 2020. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment activated portions of the CSC this week. Standards for PPE and EMS currently are activated. The state is activating portions of the standards as the need for them becomes apparent.

Recommendations / guidance

• ●  Hospitals, health care providers, and emergency medical services should review the PPE and EMS portions of the CSC and use them as necessary.

• ●  Additionally, health care providers and hospitals should review the CSC for hospitals, to be prepared in the event it is activated.

• ●  Organizations adopting these care standards should inform CDPHE by ​completing this short survey​.

• ●  CDC Executive Summary and Core Principles

• ●  CSC Activation

• ●  CSC EMS

• ●  CSC PPE

• ●  CSC Hospital, including Crisis Triage

  More information

● Disability-specific issues related to COVID 19 in Colorado http://www.ccdconline.org/covid-19-resources-links-and-information/

Governor Polis COVID-19 Update

April 8, 2020

Quick Links to Stay Up to Date

• Governor’s Facebook Page

• Covid19.colorado.gov

• Stay At Home Guide

Topline Update

As of today we have 5,655 cases, 193 deaths, and 1,162 hospitalizations out of 29,199 completed tests. We are thinking of these families and communities during these trying times.

Stay-At-Home-Order extension

In the light of new evidence that shows that social distancing measures are having an impact on reducing the spread of coronavirus, Governor Polis has extended the statewide stay-at-home order for an additional two weeks until Sunday, April 26.

We need to keep up the good work, keep doing our part to slow the spread of this virus and save lives. As the Governor said on Monday evening: The better job we do of staying in, the sooner we can go back out, and the sooner we can return to societal and economic normalcy. These closures and disruptions will be temporary. But once you lose a life, you lose it forever.

The Governor announced today a new online resources for Coloradans in the form of stayathomeco.colorado.gov which includes free resources to support Coloradans while they are at home, from wellness, to services, to education, to entertainment and more.

Upcoming Religious Holidays

With the Easter, Passover, and Ramadan, holidays coming up, Governor Polis also offered guidance on how Coloradans can exercise their faith in a safe way that will comply with the stay-at-home order and help save lives.

The administration recently released guidelines for places of worship when for recording online streaming of your services with a small crew:

• No more than 10 people gathered at one time. 

• Your staff should still be kept to the least amount of people possible;

• Observe strict social distancing - six foot distance between one another.

• Each person should wear a protective face mask covering. 

• Those with symptoms SHOULD NOT come to help or listen for risk of spreading coronavirus;

• And those who are in that vulnerable age group -- 60-plus -- or who have a respiratory or auto-immune condition should still stay home.

• Ask folks to wash their hands regularly for 20-seconds;

• And consider providing hand sanitizer and asking about signs of illness prior to admitting. 

• Sanitize all equipment and use the CDC’s and CDPHE’s cleaning guidance.

Those guidelines have also included guidance for venues offering drive-up services. Some local health departments have said this is not allowed -- you should follow their guidance. For those who are able to organize for the holidays for this one time, you should closely follow the guidance: 

• Use electronic means for audio; when possible - attendees should use personal devices to hear audio.

• Attendees must remain in vehicles and should not socialize through their windows.

• There should be no food and no opportunity for physical interaction or gathering.

• Restrooms must be cleaned according to guidelines and only one person can use them at a time. 

While we are encouraging leaders to offer online services or drive-in services in order to serve their congregations, we want to thank faith leaders for holding smaller services (10 people or fewer) to safely accommodate worshippers at a six foot distance between one another. 

You can view those guidelines that the Governor announced today here.

Protecting Vulnerable Communities

Governor Polis also made a number of announcements about vulnerable communities during this time.

 Polis said that those suffering from domestic abuse are free to leave their homes under this order if they feel unsafe. This order is not an excuse for abusers to further traumatize domestic partners or dependents. No one should be made to feel unsafe in their own home, and anyone who fears for their safety or the safety of their children should leave to seek assistance. 

If you feel unsafe or know someone who does, please contact the Domestic Violence hotline: 800.799.7233.

Furthermore, Governor Polis announced that more than 250 Colorado National Guard members have been mobilized and are on State Active Duty to help the State Emergency Operations Center and the City and County of Denver to shelter people in Denver experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The administration will continue to support local efforts to ensure the health and safety of the homeless population at this time.