https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/11/mobile-child-care-drug-treatment/

Good Morning, Colorado, and welcome to the Daily Sun-Up. It’s Thursday September 17th, and we’re feeling lucky to start the day with you. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. Today our focus is on child care for moms in drug and mental health centers.

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

Today, we take you back to September 17th, 1868 when a group of about 50 volunteer troops from Kansas and Colorado Territory awoke to find themselves surrounded by Cheyennes and Arapahos. For nine days they hunkered on a sandbar in the middle of the river. The sandbar came to be known as Beecher Island, but it disappeared during a flood in 1935.

Now, our feature story. 

Help is coming to drug and mental health centers in Denver — in the form of a giant RV gutted and transformed into a child care center with cribs, books and toys. The vehicle, named “Honey” after the teddy bear painted on its side, will spend time parked outside of substance abuse and mental health treatment centers throughout the Denver area. 

And, if there is enough money to pull it off, a second day care on wheels will circulate among centers in the San Luis Valley, an area hit hard by the opioid crisis. 

Right now, outpatient treatment centers in Colorado don’t have day care centers. And only 3% let children attend appointments and group sessions with their parents.

Enter Illuminate Colorado, a nonprofit spearheading the project, scheduled to start taking babies and toddlers before the end of the month. They are also holding a virtual community baby shower, asking people to purchase toys and baby supplies to stock the RVs. 

The mobile classrooms are dividing their time among multiple treatment centers, parking outside each one for about half a day. The centers plan to stack their appointments with clients who have young children on the days that the RV will be parked outside. 

Jade Woodard, executive director of the nonprofit Illuminate Colorado gave Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown a tour.

We also spoke with Rewa Bailey, who helped plan the RV project. Bailey said that babies and toddlers are a “huge deterrent” to getting drug treatment, especially for moms. They often do not have a trusted family member or friend who will watch their child, and it feels overwhelming to find and pay for child care on top of finding a ride or taking the bus across town to an appointment. And On top of all that, they are addicted to drugs and likely don’t feel healthy. 

Patsy Bruce, the child care manager for Illuminate, said that “by having RV Honey out in the community, it will definitely give the ladies ease knowing that their children are provided for, we are able to offer this to an exclusive group of people, people who are currently vulnerable right now, and it will definitely lessen the stress.” 

Illuminate actually borrowed the idea of mobile day care units from a preschool program funded through the Aspen Community Foundation, which, until last year brought mobile schools to kids in Rifle, Silt, and New Castle. 

And the idea is spreading — a mobile preschool launched in Denver last month. Mile High United Way turned a former airport shuttle bus into a classroom, which operates neighborhoods deemed “daycare deserts”.

To learn more about this story you can visit us at coloradosun.com.

Thanks for listening. Before we go here are a few stories you should know about today:

While masks haven’t obstructed learning or teachers’ ability to forge relationships with their kids, they have in some cases slowed communication and made it more difficult for educators to keep tabs on how their students are doing emotionally and academically. Now, Colorado teachers are trying new ways to connect

Lauren Boebert defends her backstory during Durango visit saying [quote] "I wish more members of Congress had the life experiences that I’ve had"

Compared with an average year, only 55% of Colorado River water is flowing from the Rocky Mountains down to Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona line.

The uphill-only ski area outside Kremmling is expanding to 1,200 acres for its second season with an emphasis on providing a safer experience and avalanche education 

Colorado’s fish “salvage” means there are no limits at some favorite spots -- but there’s a catch

Bad algae, low water levels and even intake repairs can put fisheries out of commission. 

The $300 unemployment bonus runs into technical snags in Colorado after people overwhelm request system

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. 

And remember, The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.You can stay on top of Colorado news by signing up for free newsletters at coloradosun.com/newsletters. And you can join our Sun community by becoming a member, starting at just $5 a month. Thanks again for starting your morning with us and remember to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

<a href="https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/11/mobile-child-care-drug-treatment/">https://coloradosun.com/2020/09/11/mobile-child-care-drug-treatment/</a>
Good Morning, Colorado, and welcome to the Daily Sun-Up. It&rsquo;s Thursday September 17th, and we&rsquo;re feeling lucky to start the day with you. Every day we&rsquo;re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. Today our focus is on child care for moms in drug and mental health centers.
But before we begin, let&rsquo;s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett&rsquo;s book &ldquo;Colorado Day by Day&rdquo;:
Today, we take you back to September 17th, 1868 when a group of about 50 volunteer troops from Kansas and Colorado Territory awoke to find themselves surrounded by Cheyennes and Arapahos. For nine days they hunkered on a sandbar in the middle of the river. The sandbar came to be known as Beecher Island, but it disappeared during a flood in 1935.
Now, our feature story.&nbsp;
Help is coming to drug and mental health centers in Denver &mdash; in the form of a giant RV gutted and transformed into a child care center with cribs, books and toys. The vehicle, named &ldquo;Honey&rdquo; after the teddy bear painted on its side, will spend time parked outside of substance abuse and mental health treatment centers throughout the Denver area.&nbsp;
And, if there is enough money to pull it off, a second day care on wheels will circulate among centers in the San Luis Valley, an area hit hard by the opioid crisis.&nbsp;
Right now, outpatient treatment centers in Colorado don&rsquo;t have day care centers. And only 3% let children attend appointments and group sessions with their parents.
Enter Illuminate Colorado, a nonprofit spearheading the project, scheduled to start taking babies and toddlers before the end of the month. They are also holding a <a href="https://www.iliterallyloveit.com/illuminate-colorado/">virtual community baby shower,</a> asking people to purchase toys and baby supplies to stock the RVs.&nbsp;
The mobile classrooms are dividing their time among multiple treatment centers, parking outside each one for about half a day. The centers plan to stack their appointments with clients who have young children on the days that the RV will be parked outside.&nbsp;
Jade Woodard, executive director of the nonprofit Illuminate Colorado gave Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown a tour.
We also spoke with Rewa Bailey, who helped plan the RV project. Bailey said that babies and toddlers are a &ldquo;huge deterrent&rdquo; to getting drug treatment, especially for moms. They often do not have a trusted family member or friend who will watch their child, and it feels overwhelming to find and pay for child care on top of finding a ride or taking the bus across town to an appointment. And On top of all that, they are addicted to drugs and likely don&rsquo;t feel healthy.&nbsp;
Patsy Bruce, the child care manager for Illuminate, said that &ldquo;by having RV Honey out in the community, it will definitely give the ladies ease knowing that their children are provided for, we are able to offer this to an exclusive group of people, people who are currently vulnerable right now, and it will definitely lessen the stress.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Illuminate actually borrowed the idea of mobile day care units from a preschool program funded through the <a href="https://aspencommunityfoundation.org/preschool-on-wheels-announcement-2/">Aspen Community Foundation,</a> which, until last year brought mobile schools to kids in Rifle, Silt, and New Castle.&nbsp;
And the idea is spreading &mdash; a mobile preschool launched in Denver last month. Mile High United Way turned a former airport shuttle bus into a classroom, which operates neighborhoods deemed &ldquo;daycare deserts&rdquo;.
To learn more about this story you can visit us at coloradosun.com.
Thanks for listening. Before we go here are a few stories you should know about today:
While masks haven&rsquo;t obstructed learning or teachers&rsquo; ability to forge relationships with their kids, they have in some cases slowed communication and made it more difficult for educators to keep tabs on how their students are doing emotionally and academically. Now, Colorado teachers are trying new ways to connect
Lauren Boebert defends her backstory during Durango visit saying [quote] "I wish more members of Congress had the life experiences that I&rsquo;ve had"
Compared with an average year, only 55% of Colorado River water is flowing from the Rocky Mountains down to Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona line.
The uphill-only ski area outside Kremmling is expanding to 1,200 acres for its second season with an emphasis on providing a safer experience and avalanche education&nbsp;
Colorado&rsquo;s fish &ldquo;salvage&rdquo; means there are no limits at some favorite spots -- but there&rsquo;s a catch
Bad algae, low water levels and even intake repairs can put fisheries out of commission.&nbsp;
The $300 unemployment bonus runs into technical snags in Colorado after people overwhelm request system
For more information on all of these stories, visit our website,<a href="http://www.coloradosun.com/"> www.coloradosun.com</a>.&nbsp;
And remember, The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.You can stay on top of Colorado news by signing up for free newsletters at<a href="http://coloradosun.com/newsletters"> coloradosun.com/newsletters</a>. And you can join our Sun community by becoming a member, starting at just $5 a month. Thanks again for starting your morning with us and remember to tune in again tomorrow.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at https://coloradosun.com/.

The Daily Sun-Up

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at https://coloradosun.com/.

Our intro music is by Matt Skellenger Group: https://mattskellenger.bandcamp.com/album/subspace-transmission 

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we&rsquo;re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at <a href="https://coloradosun.com/">https://coloradosun.com/</a>.
Our intro music is by Matt Skellenger Group: <a href="https://mattskellenger.bandcamp.com/album/subspace-transmission">https://mattskellenger.bandcamp.com/album/subspace-transmission</a>&nbsp;