Opioids and Grandfamilies

Jana Carson, GRANDcares Site Coordinator, Larimer County

Cities across the United States have been greatly affected by what is being called the "opioid epidemic."  This national crisis many times ropes grandparents into the issue, as they become the primary caregiver for grandchildren whose parents have succumbed to these drugs. Grandparents then work to balance this new caregiving role while also struggling to watch their own child go through the ravages of an opioid addiction.  (Read this AARP article for more accounts about how opiods are affecting grandfamilies: https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-2017/opiates-addiction-grandparents-raising-grandchildren.html)

If you are a grandparent raising a grandchild in Colorado as a result of opioid use, you may be interested in attending an upcoming meeting being hosted in Denver on December 28th from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.  This meeting will discuss potential updates to the Policy for Prescribing and Dispensing Opioids and is designed to help the Colorado healthcare licensing boards understand more about the opinions, needs, and recommendations of Coloradans affected by opioid use.

There are three ways to provide your input:

1) You can attend the meeting in person at 1560 Broadway, Conference Room 110D, Denver, CO 80202 

2) You can register to participate in the online webinar by going to this link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3171328372483777537

3) You can provide written comments before or after the meeting by sending them to holli.weaver@state.co.us

Click this link to view the full meeting announcement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1abOhDzp_BlqrAuAG0waBtw5n-7p070Dr/view

If you or your family is somehow affected by opiod use, make your voice heard!

Added Note on 2/15/18: We later found this video where Senetor Baldwin recounts her own story about being raised by her grandparents as a result of opioids. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9zcxtnNaaY&feature=youtu.be