The Grand Junction Walk to End Alzheimer’s is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, offering residents a chance to support research and raise awareness for a disease affecting thousands of Coloradans. The event will take place at the Colorado Mesa University Plaza, located at 1455 N. 12th St., with registration beginning at 9 a.m. and the walk officially starting at 10:15 a.m. Organizers for the Grand Junction walk aim to collect approximately $127,000 in donations from participants.
A press release from the Alzheimer’s Association stated that proceeds from these walks are the main source of funding for the Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado, which uses the money to provide information, programs, and services at no charge to those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, their families, and caregivers. The Association also reported that its international counterpart supports 1,220 research projects globally with over $490 million in funding. The Grand Junction event is one of 13 such walks planned across the state, with a combined fundraising goal of $2.7 million. This year's local fundraising effort follows a successful event on Oct. 5, 2024, at Colorado Mesa University, where hundreds of participants, holding forget-me-not flowers, helped raise $88,689, surpassing an initial goal of $80,500.
In other local health news, HopeWest Kids announced that its school-based grief support groups have resumed for the new school year. This free program collaborates with school counselors to identify students who could benefit from grief support, facilitating group sessions during the school day. According to a HopeWest press release, these groups typically convene once a week for six to eight weeks. Their objective is to assist “students explore and express their grief while connecting with peers who have experienced similar losses.”
The program serves children and teenagers in several Western Slope counties, including Mesa, Delta, Montrose, and Ouray, as well as parts of Garfield and Rio Blanco counties. Last year, the school-based program provided support to 249 students, with an additional 162 children receiving grief support outside of the school setting. HopeWest, a non-profit hospice and palliative care provider, highlighted that the need for grief support among students extends beyond deaths in a hospice context; nearly 83% of HopeWest Kids participants grieved a loss unrelated to hospice care. Families interested in connecting their child with grief support services can speak with their child’s school counselor or contact HopeWest directly.
Looking ahead to seasonal health, Mesa County Public Health is hosting a community flu vaccine clinic on Saturday, Oct. 17. The clinic will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mesa County Health and Human Services Building, located at 510 29½ Road. This event is open to everyone six months and older, regardless of their insurance coverage. No appointment is necessary. Adults can receive their flu shot drive-thru style in the parking lot in front of the building. Families attending with children should park and go inside the building for immunizations. All attendees are advised to bring a photo ID and, if applicable, an insurance card.
Beyond local events, Colorado’s Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office recently announced several significant settlements affecting healthcare. On Friday, Oct. 2, the state finalized a $2.86 million settlement after alleging that a contractor, Staffing Network Holdings and its former subsidiary Quality Placement Authority, over-billed the Colorado Department of Corrections for healthcare staffing services. According to a press release from Attorney General Weiser, the companies were accused of falsifying provider information to charge “significantly higher rates” starting as early as 2018.
This alleged fraud stemmed from an agreement that allowed higher rates for medical providers who traveled more than 400 miles round trip or temporarily relocated for assignments. For instance, the Attorney General’s office cited one case where a recruiter reportedly instructed a Colorado provider, who did not qualify for the travel rate, to have his name added to a utility bill at his father-in-law’s out-of-state address. Quality Placement Authority then allegedly used this false address to support at least 18 invoices, leading to over $63,000 in over-billing. In another instance, Quality Placement Authority reportedly used a Texas address for a provider who had explicitly stated she lived only in Colorado, resulting in over $110,000 in over-billing. The Attorney General’s office noted that these practices continued despite internal concerns about potential contract violations and fraud. In addition to the $2.86 million settlement, Staffing Network Holdings is responsible for applicable interest, payable in installments through 2030.
Just one day before this settlement, Attorney General Weiser also joined a 43-state coalition seeking court approval for a $469 million settlement with generic drug manufacturers Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. This settlement arises from allegations that these companies engaged in a “widespread, long-running conspiracy to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade” for numerous generic prescription drugs. If approved, Colorado is slated to receive $2.1 million from the total payout.
Earlier, on Sept. 24, Attorney General Weiser announced a separate $2.3 million national settlement with Labcorp. This agreement addresses a 2019 data breach at Labcorp's debt collector, American Medical Collection Agency, which potentially exposed the personal information of more than 27.5 million Americans, including over 130,000 Coloradans. Colorado is set to receive just over $32,000 from this national settlement.
