In consultation with local infectious disease specialists, medical leaders and the Colorado Department of Public Health, we have made the difficult decision to begin postponing and canceling large-scale meetings and events held at the Chamber and elsewhere.
As you can imagine, with the NBA’s decision to suspend its season, the first event affected is the Net90 Nuggets game on March 18. At this time, we are working with the Denver Nuggets to determine whether we can reschedule, and if not, how refunds will occur. We will be in touch with registrants as soon as possible.
The Metro Denver EDC has also decided to postpone its Annual Meeting 2020, scheduled for March 24. They have already reached out to sponsors and registrants to share this news. In the coming weeks, the EDC team will work to identify a new way to both celebrate the 2019 economic gains of our region as well as honor partners and investors. We will keep you updated as those plans materialize.
Committee Meetings and Other Smaller Events
Whenever possible, we will make call-in and web-based options available for smaller events. This includes committee meetings. Staff will be in touch to share information as it’s available.
All of us should continue to explore how we create opportunities for our employees to work from home, via conference line or via webinar, in case public health officials recommend that action in the future
Events like this require everyone to pull together as a community. We will provide regular updates regarding the events schedule in the future.
We look forward to hearing your voice or seeing your face at a virtual meeting, or giving you an elbow bump in person. In the meantime, take the advice of experts and practice social distancing, the new catchphrase of 2020!
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
As we continue to learn about more confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the globe and in Colorado, we want to ensure that we’re following the recommendations set forth by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The health and wellness of our members and our staff is critically important to us, so we want to provide the latest guidelines to all of you as you consider the precautions you and your team will take in the coming days.
Based on recommendations of the CDPHE and CDC, we are asking you the following questions.
If you answered “yes’ to any of those questions, we ask you not to attend meetings, committees or events hosted here at Chamber building or at other locations.
If you answered “no,” we ask you to take the advice of the CDPHE and CDC, including:
Our goal is to minimize the impact on our community by looking to our public health experts for guidance related to COVID-19. Here are some additional resources for your reference.
We hope to maintain business as usual, but also want to ensure we’re aligning with best practices to do all we can to keep our community healthy.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
Navigating the world of health care and insurance is a challenge for all of us.
Whether you’re just trying to find coverage or attempting to use it – our investors have been clear about how confusing and how costly it is. We want to be a resource to help you better meet your health care needs. Our first step was to develop a toolkit – one for employers and one for employees – just in time for fall when you’re weighing these decisions for 2020.
Learn more about the toolkits in this video, which was produced thanks to the generosity of Comcast.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
Whether you work at a company with 50 employees or 5,000, you have colleagues impacted by alcohol or other drug addiction. Many employers believe that addiction doesn’t affect their business because they have a highly educated workforce or they drug test. With almost 10 percent of adults suffering from addiction, and at least three or four additional people impacted as loved ones, that’s simply not true.
In the Denver region, the estimated annual economic impact of addiction is $884 million. Employers bear the brunt of the costs.
In this guide, presented in partnership with Face It TOGETHER, you’ll learn:
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We know health care is a major concern for our members. In fact, we heard directly from dozens of Chamber members who last winter participated in focus groups about how the cost of health care is impacting them as employers and employees, their families, their colleagues and their companies.
What we learned from our members in a series of 10 focus groups in December 2017 was that the cost of health care is forcing tough budgetary decisions both personally and professionally. Not many of us understand how health care costs and prices are set. We have a hard time predicting what we’ll pay out of pocket. And we don’t necessarily know how different health care stakeholders work together.
Since those focus groups, we’ve been working hand in hand with many of our health care industry members to tackle those very issues. Together, health care stakeholders convened at the Chamber over six months this summer and fall to develop legislative and private market strategies to increase transparency, ensure the open exchange of helpful data, better educate consumers and even set the foundation to tackle the cost of health care.
What we developed is this report, intended to serve as a roadmap for the first phase of our proactive health care work. You’ll note that the document outlines some of our initial top priorities including:
We’re energized by this critical topic and know we have a role to play in helping our members navigate the complex world of health care. If you’d like to learn more, read the report, track how we’re engaging in health care issues this legislative session and stay tuned as we come to you for feedback, action and education. While this only represents a starting point, it is as important as ever that we take action on health care in Colorado.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
It’s been a few years since the recreational use of marijuana was legalized in Colorado. Employers still have questions about what they can – and can’t – do about employee marijuana use. Those questions are complicated by our tight labor market, and employers need to be reminded of the legal framework around marijuana and the workplace in Colorado.
This guide, in partnership with Pinnacol Assurance, will answer your questions when it comes to marijuana legalization and your workplace, such as:
Note: The information contained in this article does not convey legal advice of any kind. Please consult your attorney for advice on the application of the law to the specific facts of your case or legal problem.
We’re home to one of the smartest, healthiest workforces in the country – it’s a huge competitive advantage. We are home to the country’s leanest workforce and most active adults. But when we talk about our health, we often only think in terms of our physical well-being. We know our mental health is just as important. And, the facts about our mental health are not as good as our physical health.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, one in five adults experience a mental illness, leading to an estimated loss of 200 million workdays – those lost days are a big impact to both our organizations and our teams. When we look at some of the facts about our state, the cost of not addressing our mental needs is even more stark – Colorado has the country’s ninth highest suicide rate. Overdose deaths last year were the most our state has ever recorded. And, 85 percent of those with addictions in Colorado aren’t getting the help they need, and most are between the ages of 18 and 34.
Given that October 10 is World Mental Health Day, we realized this was a good time to ensure you knew about available resources:
The CU Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center leads trainings on stress management, self-care and mindfulness or can break the ice with a conversation about mental health 101 – and these are often free of charge or at a low cost. You can learn more about their offerings at coloradodepressioncenter.org.
The Mental Health Center of Denver offers Mental Health First Aid, with the goal of making this kind of first aid as common as CPR, equipping people with the skills needed to help a person in crisis get the appropriate care.
Some employers offer their teams access to mental health services through an employee assistance program or as part of their health care benefits – ask your employer or HR director if you have access to mental health services.
Face It TOGETHER just opened its flagship coaching center in Denver, providing in-person and virtual coaching for people living with addiction as well as for their loved ones.
For immediate support, you can call 1-844-493-TALK or visit letstalkco.org anytime.
Please help us ensure we spread the word on these valuable resources to ensure we are all getting the support we need.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.
