In 1898, The Bayer Co. commercialized their new pain reliever — a little off-the-shelf number called Heroin. At the time the opioid was considered a wonder drug. In 1996 Purdue Pharma started selling OxyContin. In 2016, the U.S. averaged 115 opioid overdose deaths a day.

We start with the opioid epidemic because it’s topical. It’s in the news and on our minds. It’s also but a single chapter of the broader substance use and abuse story. The opioid epidemic, as an illustrative case, can seem insurmountable. And drug abuse issues in general can produce similar thinking. Can anything be done, or are we helpless in the face of this massive problem? The Public Health and Environment Division in Broomfield, Colorado say something can be done.

The division is launching a Communities that Care (CTC) program to address youth substance abuse. CTC is a program of the Center for Communities that Care out of the University of Washington. “The CTC process begins with a youth survey to identify a community’s risks and strengths. Based on these data, CTC helps communities select and implement tested & effective prevention programs and policies. CTC also helps amplify programs already working.”

For Broomfield, the plan was to (1) convene a group of experts (steering committee) who work with youth and have some connection to youth substance abuse, (2) gather quantitative data and community input, (3) provide the steering committee with the data and input, and (4) have the steering committee make recommendations on what factors Broomfield should focus on.

The group, the steering committee, would be charged with recommending two to three factors for Broomfield to focus on, selected from CTC’s overall 32 factors. The factors a community selects help determine which strategies a community will employ to address youth substance abuse. Factors are separated into “protective factors” and “risk factors.” To oversimplify it, protective factors are proactive things that keep kids from getting into drugs, while risk factors are the types of events and influences that can lead a kid to getting into drugs. Which to focus on? Which will have the most effectiveness? Which is most influential in Broomfield? Answering those questions were the charge of the steering committee.

Gathering community input sought to get an on-the-ground understanding of drugs and kids in Broomfield. This is where CDR came in.

CDR had two jobs on this effort – collect the community input by conducting a series of interviews and help the steering committee make a consensus decision.

But why all the trouble? Broomfield had the authority to make a decision on which factors and strategies to select. Alison Long, Director of Health Promotions at Broomfield Public Health and Environment, said, “It is challenging to work with a group of residents from different disciplines and perspectives to come up with recommendations on how to address the complex problem of youth substance abuse. But when the coalition was able to reach consensus based on community input, we gained buy-in and support for our goals that would have been more difficult working as an individual organization.”

She spoiled the endgame there a little. But, she’s right. First, the steering committee passed a consensus-based recommendation to Broomfield. They recommended Broomfield focus on (1) School and Community Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement (Protective Factor) and (2) Early and Persistent Anti-Social Behavior (Risk Factor). And, the work of obtaining community input from schools, police, health care providers, youth who were former users, parents of kids with addiction, and other nonprofits created a big team, who’s invested in this issue; who wants to collaborate to make meaningful change on the issue; and who bring unique knowledge, resources, and ideas to addressing the issue. That’s to say, by getting community input, Broomfield not only got key information. They also got partners.

In the end, Broomfield is taking on a massive challenge, using tested strategies to do so, tailoring it to meet Broomfield’s unique needs, and founding it – using CDR’s help – on community partnership.

To learn more about CDR’s public health work or community assessments and data analysis write Taber Ward (tward@mediate.org) or Jeffrey Range (jrange@mediate.org).

From 2005-2014, the total average cost of wildlife-vehicle collisions to Colorado citizens (not including the value of the wildlife killed and impacts to wildlife populations) was $57.3 million/year. In addition, there are an average of 3.3 human deaths as a result of wildlife-vehicle collisions per year and many more wildlife deaths. The Colorado Wildlife and Transportation Steering Committee is working hard to decrease these numbers.

In November of 2017, CDR posted this article about a new initiative addressing highway permeability in Colorado’s wildlife migration corridors. Since then, CDR has begun coordinating efforts between CDOT, CPW, FHWA, USFS, Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe focused on Colorado’s wildlife and transportation integration. A Steering Committee has been formed to “provide safe passage for people and wildlife in Colorado,” and leaders from both the west and east slope are participating in the conversation. To achieve their goal, the group will identify ways to incorporate wildlife crossings into highway planning as well as look at habitat restoration along migration routes.

Currently, the initiative is in its formative stages and is working on both West and East Slope Wildlife Prioritization Studies. These studies, led by CDR partner JACOBS, will help the Steering Committee identify both highways and roads as well as species to prioritize when incorporating wildlife movement and habitats into highway planning. Once this data is collected, CDR and JACOBS will work together with the Committee to determine pathways for effectively sharing data across agencies and with the public. In addition to developing Committee buy-in for the initiative, CDR will be developing a broad engagement and education strategy across the state.

CDR is spearheading Steering Committee coordination and is committed to keeping the momentum from the successful 2017 Wildlife and Transportation Summit going. CDR has facilitated two Steering Committee meetings in 2018, establishing the group’s mission, vision, and goals through July 2019. Additional meetings are planned as the group begins to work on forming education opportunities, partnerships, and procedures.

We will continue to update you on education opportunities in your area and post group updates as they arise.

For more information contact Taber Ward. (tward@mediate.org)

GETTING TO THE HEART OF CONFLICT

A Workshop with Author BERNIE MAYER

Sponsored by CDR Associates, Univ. of Denver Conflict Resolution Institute, and Cathy Schultheis, Co-Chair of the ADR Section of the Boulder County Bar Assoc.
RESCHEDULED FOR
May 4, 2018 from 8:45 – 2:00

Bernie Mayer, is well known to many of us as a founding partner of CDR Associates, and a long time mediator and conflict specialist. In this small, interactive, ½ day program, Bernie returns to Boulder to work with us on how to best understand the most essential conflicts our clients face and the biggest obstacles we encounter in helping to deal with these in a constructive way. He will ask us to look beyond interests to the underlying human needs that drive conflict and to contend with the polarized view that clients, and many of the professionals they work with, hold about the nature of their conflicts and the choices they face.

• The workshop fee of $99.00 includes lunch. Space is limited. First come first serve. CLE Application is pending.

• 7560 Monarch Road in Niwot, off Highway 52, just east of IBM

• RSVP to Cathy Schultheis at (303) 652-3638 or email at cathyboulderagent@yahoo.com. Your registration will be confirmed promptly.

Bernie Mayer, PhD, is a Professor of Conflict Studies, in the Program on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Creighton University. He has provided conflict intervention for families, communities, NGO’s, unions, corporations, and governmental agencies throughout North America and internationally for over 35 years. Bernie’s most recent book is The Conflict Paradox, Seven Dilemmas at the Core of Disputes. Earlier books include: The Dynamics of Conflict, Beyond Neutrality, and Staying With Conflict. Bernie received the 2015 John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award, presented by the Association for Conflict Resolution, the 2013 President’s Award presented by the Association of Family Conciliation Courts, and the 2009 Meyer Elkin Award, also presented by the AFCC.

A Bernie Mayer BEYOND INTERESTS.doc FOR MAY 4TH (2)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of CDR Partner Louise Smart. Louise was an instrumental member of the CDR team for over 20 years–developing our nationally renowned transportation practice area, mentoring and training hundreds of practitioners, as well as authoring numerous influential guidance documents that integrated dispute resolution concepts with transportation decision making. Her commitment to crafting practical positive change was wide-reaching.

Thank you, Louise.

The I-70 Mountain corridor is the gateway to the Rocky Mountains from the Denver Metro area. It offers breathtaking views, access to unique and historic mountain communities, and rich natural heritage and resources. The corridor serves as a recreational destination for the world, a route for interstate and local commerce, and a unique place to live and play.  I-70 is also federally designated as a high priority corridor, a significant part of the defense network, a major east/west continental corridor, and a major economic corridor for Colorado.  For many local communities along the corridor, I-70 is the lifeline, primary access, and only connection to other communities.

Current I-70 roadway geometry is constrained with narrow shoulders and tight curves that impact safety, mobility, accessibility, and capacity for travelers and residents.  CDR has been working with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in partnership with local jurisdictions, landowners, and a variety of stakeholders along the I-70 corridor, to implement a Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) process that will result in solutions to improve the westbound highway and the communities along the road. The goal is to develop transportation solutions that respect the unique environmental, historic, community, and recreational resources in the study area. Additionally, improvements are needed to lessen delays caused by peak period volumes.

Preliminary options have been developed during the Concept Development Process, and will now be moved forward in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and toward implementation over the next few years.  As the process transitions into NEPA, CDR Associates will continue facilitating and engaging a diverse stakeholder group – from county representatives, recreational rafting and cycling groups, US Forest Service, businesses and residents.  Our goal is to provide a forum to effectively develop and communicate a shared vision and goals for the corridor that will safely and efficiently move people and freight while respecting and prioritizing the communities, ecosystems, and wildlife.

Contact: Taber Ward or Jonathan Bartsch