By Amy Yutzy and Colleen Daywalt
A global pandemic, a mass shooting, destructive wildfires, a spotlight on social injustice and record inflation. This is a short list of the various events that continue to affect our health and wellness, especially for the more than 126,600 Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) members in Boulder and the neighboring communities of Broomfield, Gilpin and Jefferson counties. Yet, amidst these challenges, Colorado Community Health Alliance (CCHA) remains committed to delivering solutions that harness the expertise and resources of local organizations to provide whole-person care and foster healthier communities.
Who we are
CCHA is the regional organization that administers physical and behavioral health benefits and coordinates care for more than 270,000 Health First Colorado members in Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, El Paso, Gilpin, Jefferson, Park and Teller counties. Our approach revolves around whole-person care. We expand access and strive to connect members with tailored services spanning medical, behavioral, dental and specialty care. Recognizing that a significant portion of health outcomes are influenced by social drivers such as access to transportation, affordable housing, childcare, and nutritious food, we extend our efforts beyond traditional health care.
Collaborating to address diverse health needs and underlying social drivers of health
CCHA team members are deeply ingrained in the communities we serve because we live and work there, too. This allows us to work closely with local trusted community partners, health care providers and government agencies to create a sustainable and accessible network of care for our members. We’ve built strong, lasting relationships with these partners over time, which helps us to better serve our members and the community. For years, we have invested in programs that address physical and behavioral health while eliminating barriers to care.
For example, CCHA has long supported Boulder County Public Health’s GENESIS and GENERATIONS programs and has awarded them nearly $200,000 over the last few years. GENESIS provides support to teen parents from pregnancy until their child turns three, while GENERATIONS focuses on assisting youth, particularly those in the Latine community. These programs aim to keep young people in school, reduce unplanned pregnancies, and impart healthy parenting skills to teen parents in Boulder County. Since January 89 children have had well-check appointments and the programs have served 265 BIPOC and Latinx members.
Our commitment to addressing community-specific needs extends beyond health care services. Recognizing the link between health and the social drivers of health, CCHA actively supports initiatives targeting issues such as food insecurity—a challenge in many rural areas. In neighboring Gilpin County, CCHA is partnering with the local food pantry to provide vital assistance to those in need of nutritious food. Through funding for a large-capacity vehicle, CCHA will enable the Gilpin County Food Pantry to establish pop-up food options, ensuring that vulnerable community members have access to nutritious meals.
In 2023, the Gilpin County Food Pantry served 271 unique households and 886 unique individuals, illustrating the need for such support. The demand continued into 2024, with 133 and 142 unique households served in January and February, respectively highlighting the ongoing need for services.
Through these collaborative efforts, CCHA aims to address not only immediate health needs but also the underlying social drivers of health, ensuring that all members of the community have access to the resources they need to thrive.
CCHA is committed to collaboration, innovation and expanding access to medical and behavioral health care services as well as other community resources such as food, housing, transportation and childcare. This commitment paves the way for a brighter future in which every member of our community has the opportunity to access the care and resources they deserve despite the challenges they face. To learn more about CCHA and our commitment to expand health care access in Boulder County and beyond please visit CCHAcares.com.
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