In 2014, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched the Colorado Healthy Hospital Compact to support hospitals in improving the health of their food and beverage offerings and promoting breastfeeding. Since then, the compact has grown to include over a quarter of Colorado hospitals. The Department of Health keeps hospitals involved and the network growing by offering technical assistance, relevant resources, opportunities for peer-to-peer networking, a set of standards to benchmark progress, and public recognition to celebrate successes.

The compact consists of four programs: Healthier Food, Healthier Beverages, Breastfeeding Policy and Support, and Marketing. Each program is comprised of standards designed to improve the hospital’s food and beverage environments, and breastfeeding policies. Hospitals are then recognized at the bronze, silver, gold and platinum level based on the number of standards implemented.

Hospitals that join the compact become “partner hospitals” and gain access to a growing network of peer hospitals that are implementing the latest best practices and innovations in the national healthy hospital movement. Partner hospitals are recognized in various ways for their achievement. Denver Health recently achieved platinum status and promoted their recognition through a Facebook live event.

Additionally, every two years the Department of Health hosts a recognition event for hospital leadership and staff to highlight and recognize their accomplishments. This year the event will be held Monday, Sept. 23 at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Learn more about the Colorado Healthy Hospitals Compact