Denver Health has announced it will join the Colorado Alcohol Impacts Coalition (CAIC), a new initiative aimed at addressing alcohol-related harm in the state. The coalition includes partners such as the Colorado School of Public Health, the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, Healthier Colorado, and the Steadman Group.
The CAIC is composed of leaders from health care, research, public health, and advocacy sectors who aim to reduce deaths and long-term illness linked to alcohol. The coalition plans to achieve this through policy improvements, public awareness campaigns, and increased access to care.
Denver Health serves as Colorado’s primary safety-net health system and Denver’s only Level One Trauma Center. The hospital reports frequent encounters with alcohol-related cases in its emergency room and behavioral health services.
“Alcohol remains the leading cause of substance-related death and disability in Colorado, yet it often receives less attention and fewer resources than other substance use issues,” said Bill Burman, MD, infectious disease physician with the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. “The launch of this coalition represents an opportunity to finally take a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to tackling this long-standing issue.”
State data shows that more than 2,000 Coloradans die each year due to alcohol-related causes. Many deaths are preventable and affect people at a young age. Hospitalizations related to alcohol cost the state $351 million in 2022—a 47% increase since 2014.
The CAIC will focus on four main areas: driving public education about alcohol’s effects; advancing policy reform; expanding access to care including treatment and recovery support; and strengthening data collection to measure outcomes.
“The science is clear: Colorado can save thousands of lives and hundreds of millions of dollars by taking action to reduce excessive alcohol use,” said Glen P. Mays, PhD, MPH, of the Colorado School of Public Health. “This coalition will help our state implement those solutions.”
JK Costello, MD, MPH of The Steadman Group added: “I helped start this coalition so our state can begin to build a healthier, more realistic relationship with alcohol.”
Denver Health expressed support for the coalition’s goals and encouraged community members seeking more information or wishing to get involved to contact Samantha Strobing at samanthastrobing@steadmangroup.com.
