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Press Releases - the latest news
TELLURIDE FOUNDATION’S LOCAL HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE IS WORKING TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF KIDS IN OUR REGION
The 2009 Colorado Health Report Card, released by the Colorado Health Foundation, provides a barely passing grade for the health of Colorado's children. The Report Cards shows that older Coloradans score relatively well on key health indicators, but the state ranks only average or below average on most measures related to children. The Telluride Foundation's Local Healthcare Initiative is working hard to reverse this trend by helping local kids obtain health insurance, increase immunizations and access healthcare. Developed by the Colorado Health Foundation and the Colorado Health Institute, the Report Card includes 38 indicators that are organized into five life stages: Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Children, Healthy Adolescents, Healthy Adults and Healthy Aging. A grade is assigned to each to show how Coloradans fare at every age against other states. Healthy Beginnings receives only a C and Healthy Children dropped from an already dismal C- to an unacceptable D+. Roughly 127,000 (15 percent) of the state's children 12 years and younger lived at or below the federal poverty level during 2006-2008, and approximately 120,000 children had no form of insurance during this time period as well. Too few Colorado children get enough exercise, and 14 percent are obese. Another 2009 study that revealed 37% of San Miguel County's children who are eligible for health insurance, are not enrolled.

 

"Colorado has over 100,000 children who are currently eligible for public health insurance such as Medicaid or CHP+ but are not enrolled," said Gary Steinbach, Administrator, Telluride Foundation's Local Health Initiative. "Getting our local kids these health insurance benefits is straightforward work and critical to everyone in the community. When kids are insured they access the healthcare system which leads directly to an improved health status and reduced short and long-term costs to a community.

 

The Local Health Initiative has established a multi-county program to increase and retain Medicaid and CHP+ enrollment for children ages birth-18 through working with childcare, health and school based programs in San Miguel, Ouray, Montrose and Delta counties. The LHI program utilizes enrollment "Navigators" that provide a local helping hand and follow-up to for parents and a web-based tracking and enrollment software. LHI has also created bilingual marketing materials, holding enrollment fairs and events, and had enrollment Navigators present at ongoing childcare and school based functions, such as Kindergarten registration and back-to-school nights. The expectation is to annually enroll 346 or 20 percent of eligible but not enrolled children.

 

The Local Health Initiative has integrated its school based oral health initiative into the enrollment process and is partnering with Bright Futures Early Childhood Regional Council, local childcare providers and school districts in San Miguel, Ouray, Montrose and Delta counties to find eligible kids and assist their parents with getting insurance. The enrollment intuitive was is partially funded by a $301,410 federal Medicaid and CHP+ enrollment grant.

 

"There is a direct correlation between children's health status and having health insurance," said Carol Schutter, Ouray Local Health Initiative Navigator. "Children who lack insurance don't have an established primary care provider, have significantly poorer health, receive poorer overall health care and increase costs to the health care system. Helping to enroll these eligible kids and their families is a no brainer."

 

The Local Healthcare Initiative was established by the Telluride Foundation in 2006 to identify and strategically act on health care service gaps, leverage resources and programs among providers and clinics in a three county area. Its mission is to improve the health of children and adults in San Miguel, Ouray and west Montrose counties by collaborating with local health care providers to identify and prioritize local health needs and by developing, funding, and implementing preventive health programs.

 

The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride community through the promotion and support of philanthropy. It is a non-profit, apolitical community foundation that provides year-round support for local organizations involved in arts, education, athletics, charitable causes, land conservation and other community-based efforts through technical assistance, education and grant making. As a grant maker, The Foundation awards grants to qualified applicants that serve the people living and working in the Telluride area for the purpose of enhancing the quality of life within the region. For more information on the Telluride Foundation, visit www.telluridefoundation.org.

 

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