Twelfth Annual Safety Net Clinic Week

    AURORA, CO, August 20, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Public officials and community leaders get a firsthand look at Colorado's community safety net clinics (CSNCs), federally certified rural health clinics (RHCs), school-based health centers (SBHCs), and family medicine residency clinics during the 12th Annual Safety Net Clinic Week, August 23-27. These safety net clinics provide high quality care and offer much needed access to healthcare services in urban and rural communities to those who are uninsured, underinsured or insured through public programs like Medicaid, CHP+, and Medicare.

This year's week-long celebration will feature events from the safety net collaborative on each day, culminating in a panel discussion facilitated by the Colorado Health Institute's, Jeff Bontrager. Governor Polis has also granted an official proclamation for the week, which will be read at the kickoff event on Monday, August 23.

The schedule for the week, with links to register and/or attend, is as follows:

Monday, August 23

8:30am-9:30am in-person
Safety Net Clinic Week Kick-Off Press Conference
University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency Denver Health Lowry Clinic 1001 Yosemite St, Denver, CO 80230

9:30-10:30am
Open House-Colorado Family Medicine Residency Programs Showcase
University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency Denver Health Lowry Clinic 1001 Yosemite St, Denver, CO 80230

2:00-3:30pm - Open House
UC Health Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency 1025 Pennock Place, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tuesday, August 24

11:00-12:30pm via Zoom
Colorado Rural Health Center's Community Showcase, featuring 2 short videos highlighting clinics and communities in Walden and Holyoke, Colorado.
Registration and more info here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Yicf8kQtS4-kxCs8hBIrSg

Wednesday, August 25,

11:30-12:30 in-person
School-Based Health Center site visit at Olympian Health Center
Located at Gateway High School on 1300 S Sable Blvd, Aurora.

Thursday, August 26 in-person

11:00-1:00pm
Safety Net Clinic visit at St. Benedict's Health Ministry 220 Collyer Street, Longmont
Afternoon Safety Net Clinic visit at Mission Medical Center 2125 E La Salle St, Colorado Springs, CO

Friday, August 27

9:00-10:00am via Zoom
Panel Discussion: Marginalized Community Issues and How Safety Net Clinics Meet The Needs of These Communities
Discussion facilitated by CHI's Director of Research and Evaluation, Jeff Bontrager, and featuring representatives from each safety net organization.
Registration and more info here:https://clinicacolorado.zoom.us/j/94541485845?pwd=U2MyRFJlM01OcGRDczQvcCtNSHJyQT09

"Safety Net Clinic Week is a key opportunity to educate state and national policymakers about the present need to support safety net providers," says Michelle Mills, chief executive officer at Colorado Rural Health Center. "Our organizations are rallying together this year to ensure all safety net providers are recognized and remain adequately funded so that they may continue delivering care to some of Colorado's most vulnerable populations," adds Mills.

Even though supplemental federal funding is generally unavailable to many of these clinics, more than 40 CSNCs, 54 RHCs, 69 SBHCs, 10 family medicine residency clinics, and 4 rural Family Medicine training track programs provide essential healthcare services to Coloradans in almost every county across the state. While these safety net clinics are diverse in their business and practice models, they are steadfast in their commitment to providing high-quality health and healthcare services to people in need. They deliver meaningful results and value to their communities despite limited funding for general operations, workforce challenges, growing reporting and accountability requirements, and changing payment and delivery models.

"These providers are the most committed to their communities and have created clinics that are truly responsive to community needs. Many of these clinics are located in communities that have been experiencing the greatest harm and marginalization, and we hope to add to their health equity with access to affordable, high-quality healthcare," adds Aubrey Hill, Executive Director of Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care.

"While much of the efforts at the state level have focused on Medicaid, the fastest growing healthcare needs for our clinics are for uninsured patients," states Phyllis Albritton, Managing Consultant for the Colorado Safety Net Collaborative. "The people who are the unseen backbone, who keep our state running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and meeting everyone else's needs are often forgotten in the health care universe and our safety net clinics serve these important people who are left behind every day. It's time to recognize and celebrate that these health clinics assure our unsung community heroes and their families can get the healthcare they need even when there is little to no state or federal funding to help."

"Clinics and practices that function as safety nets are often the unsung heroes of meeting the healthcare needs of our most vulnerable populations," says Lynne Jones, Executive Director of the Colorado Commission on Family Medicine (residency programs), "family physicians completing their training have stepped up, filled gaps and served the most underserved in their communities, well before our recent crises, along with many other clinicians in the safety net realm. We are fortunate to have these dedicated, compassionate individuals in our communities."

For further information or details about participating in Safety Net Clinic Week events, see the schedule above or contact Kelly Erb at [email protected]

About the Colorado Safety Net Collaborative
The Colorado Safety Net Collaborative (CSNC) was created in 2019 by community-based clinics not represented by an official moniker. They provide essential healthcare treatment and preventive services to marginalized communities throughout our state in a safe and welcoming way to those who are uninsured, underinsured or insured through public programs. To learn more about the Colorado Safety Net Collaborative, visit www.cosafetynet.org

About The Colorado Rural Health Center
The Colorado Rural Health Center was established in 1991 as Colorado's State Office of Rural Health. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, CRHC serves dual roles as the State Office of Rural Health and Rural Health Association with the mission to enhance healthcare services in the state by providing information, education, linkages, tools, and energy toward addressing rural health issues and the vision to improve healthcare services available in rural communities to ensure that all rural Coloradans have access to comprehensive, affordable, high quality healthcare. For more information visit www.coruralhealth.org.

About Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care
Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care (CASBHC) envisions all Colorado school-based health centers provide high-quality, equitable, comprehensive health care in support of positive academic outcomes. Our 69 existing and emerging school-based health centers offer integrated health care, mental and behavioral health, and oral health care across the state in partnership with the schools to ensure that children are healthy and ready to learn. To learn more about CASBHC, visit www.casbhc.org.

About the Colorado Commission on Family Medicine and Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies
Established in 1977 by the Colorado state legislature, the Commission on Family Medicine (COFM) works with the Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies to strengthen family medicine residency training in Colorado. They collaboratively develop projects to strengthen primary care in the state and ensure the placement of well-qualified family physicians in rural and underserved areas of the state.

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