An Interview with Catherine Strode
Bob McGill advocates for Spanish-speaking families of students with disabilities. His work for students with disabilities from immigrant families involves assisting Latino children and their families in the areas of education, health and immigration. In the following interview, Catherine Strode profiles Bob’s work for AdvocacyDenver. She also discusses with him the potential impact of the election results on the students he serves.
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Amendment 72: The Tobacco Tax Increase Decided Today
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Amendment 72 presents a proposal to raise the price of tobacco products. A “yes” vote on the Colorado Tobacco Tax Increase will raise the tax on cigarettes by $1.75 per pack. A “no” vote will keep the tax at its current rate of 84 cents per pack. Jodi Radke is the Regional Director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. As one of Amendment 72’s leading proponents, she manages tobacco control policies for ten states. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Jodi says the primary purpose of Amendment 72 is to reduce use rates across the state, especially among kids, and to use the incoming revenue to benefit tobacco users.
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Amendment 69 Battles Health Costs Skepticism
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Amendment 69 is on the ballot as a citizens’ initiative to amend the Constitution of Colorado to provide a political subdivision of the state called “ColoradoCare.” The measure was designed to establish a statewide program to provide universal healthcare coverage and finance healthcare services for Colorado residents. State Senator Irene Aguilar (D-32) is one of the Amendment’s original, and, strongest supporters. In an interview with Catherine Strode, she discusses what she believes is the public’s skepticism about a health care fix, misconceptions about Amendment 69, and her prediction that if it doesn’t pass this November, it will be brought back for ‘Try Number Two.’
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Advocate Urges ‘No’ Vote on “End of Life” Proposition
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Colorado’s “End of Life Options Act,” also known as Proposition 106, is on the November ballot. A “Yes” vote will support making assisted death legal among patients with a terminal illness. Carrie Ann Lucas, an attorney and self-advocate, has over 20 years of expertise working for disability rights organizations. She is also on the board of Not Dead Yet, a national grassroots disability organization. Ms. Lucas is strongly opposed to Colorado’s Proposition 106. In an interview with Catherine Strode, she calls Proposition 106 “dangerous policy” and discusses the lack of safeguards for Colorado’s most vulnerable populations.
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Colorado Ranks 7th Nationwide in Suicide Deaths
An Interview with Catherine Strode
One of Colorado’s long term policy goals is to be the healthiest state in the nation. The Medicaid expansion is making quality health care available to more of the state’s residents. However, one ailment often goes undiagnosed before it kills: suicide. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
In an effort to bring awareness to this subject, Catherine Strode sat down for an interview with Sarah Brummett, the Coordinator of Colorado’s Commission on Suicide Prevention. She discussed Colorado’s rising suicide rate and the segments of the state’s population that are at high risk.
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Yoga for Social Change
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Rob Schware co-founded the Give Back Yoga Foundation in 2007 with his yoga teacher Beryl Bender Birch. Formerly a Senior Portfolio Manager for the World Bank, he wanted to “give back” to the yoga instructors he had worked with over the years. Now entering its second decade, the Foundation provides yoga programs for: addiction and substance recovery, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress, cancer survivors, underserved populations, and for the incarcerated.
In an interview with Catherine Strode, Rob Schware says his vision has been to take yoga “off the mat” and out of the yoga studios. It is his belief that yoga can be used as a cost effective intervention for social problems nationwide.
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The Colorado Health Foundation Makes Health ‘Everyone’s Business’
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Karen McNeil-Miller, President and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation, readily admits to three “guilty pleasures”: french fries, wine, and her shoe collection. In fact, she invited all of the more than 500 attendees of the 2016 annual Health Symposium to openly call out their own personal ‘guilty pleasures.’ That public invitation is symbolic of the movement she is leading to make everyone consider their health decisions in connection with community, in the spirit of making health everybody’s business. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Karen McNeil-Miller discussed the Foundation’s ‘movement’ and how it is reshaping Colorado’s health care landscape.
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Lt. Governor Donna Lynne Says Teamwork and Transparency Are Priorities
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Donna Lynne was sworn in as Colorado’s 49th Lieutenant Governor and Chief Operating Officer on May 12, 2016. Widely respected as an expert in the health field, she was named one of the top 25 women in health care nationally. As former Executive Vice President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan in Colorado, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii, she managed an $8 billion budget, 16,000 employees, and over one million Kaiser Plan members. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Lt. Governor Lynne discussed some of the challenges facing the state and how she will use her expertise to tackle them.
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The Denver Chamber’s CEO Discusses November Ballot Issues
An Interview with Catherine Strode
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Kelly Brough, is weighing in on the economic impact of Colorado’s upcoming November ballot issues. She says the Chamber will campaign to defeat Amendment 69, which would make Colorado the only state in the nation to adopt a single payer health care system. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Kelly Brough discusses two other issues the Chamber would like to see on the ballot: creating a Hospital Enterprise Fund and bringing back a Presidential Primary.
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Emergency 72-Hour Mental Health Bill Debated Today
An Interview with Catherine Strode
A bill that would change emergency procedures for individuals in mental health crises (Senate Bill 16-169) is up on Second Reading in the House today. The bill has drawn support, and opposition, from a wide variety of stakeholder groups. It has passed the Senate and has undergone over 40 amendments during the legislative process. The bill has been hard fought by one of its sponsors, State Representative Lois Landgraf. In an interview with Catherine Strode, she says working the bill has been a ‘painful’ experience but one she will definitely repeat next session if it does not pass in the current one.