Wednesday, March 12, 2025
3/12/2025
Organization Information Healthy Archuleta PO Box 3995, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 Non-profit Organization, 501(c)(3) www.foodcoalition4archuleta.org Project Director - Vanessa Skean, 401-206-4579, fsfearchuleta@gmail.com Name: Health Partner Coalition Advancing Rural Health Network The legislative aim Healthy Archuleta (HA) is working on is to expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services. HA’s focus area is to expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services and account for and address social determinants of health such as food insecurity. This project will serve Archuleta County, Colorado. Population to be served: This project looks to address the health care needs of Archuleta County, a rural mountain community located in southwest Colorado (population 14,000). This project aims to serve the affected population, individuals who are limited English proficient persons primarily from Spanish language households and those who are uninsured, underinsured, or are on Medicaid. County demographics - Race/Ethnicity: White alone (76.4%), Hispanic/Latino (18.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.8%), 2+ races (3.0%), Asian (1.1%), and Black/African American (0.9%); Language other than English (age >5) (7.7%); Insurance: 16% <65 years old did not have health insurance, vs 10% in CO and US; Median household income $66,813; Per capita income: $39,155, Poverty: 9.8%. Rural residents experience more health disparities than urban and outcomes related to health differ among Latino subgroups. In the US, health outcomes reported by Spanish-speaking Hispanics were worse compared to English-speaking Hispanics: fair/poor health status (39% vs 17%), uninsured (55% vs 23%), and without a personal doctor (58% vs 29%). HA asked about overall health status at an event targeting Hispanic immigrants and 32.3% (11/34) indicated fair/poor health status. Network Members: Archuleta County Pu blic Health Department - Rural Health Department Pagosa Springs Medical Center - Rural Hospital Pagosa Medical Group - Private Medical Practice Axis Health System - Archuleta Integrated Healthcare - Federally Qualified Health Center All network members are physically located in an HRSA-designated rural area as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer. All members have been participating informally in a Health Partner Coalition since 2022 facilitated by HA and have committed to participating in this project. Experience: HA has been working to serve underserved rural communities since 2019 through several community-based assessment, planning and program implementation efforts. HA focuses on increasing healthy food access, health equity, and community cohesion. HA has a history of coalition and network building (food pantry network, 2020 and Health Partner Coalition, 2022). In addition to engaging community organizations, HA has developed its capacity to bring community stakeholders and key informants with lived experience to share, learn, and lead efforts around affinity topics. These groups are referred to as Community Learning and Leadership Circles (CLLC) and have focused on neighborhood community gardens, community-based assessments, youth, and spanish language households. This project will work with stakeholders and key informants to improve equity in the local healthcare environment. It will use a CLLC model to create a Wellness CLLC that will be composed of representatives from Spanish language households and other stakeholders who bring lived experience of health inequities. The participation of these individuals will help center health equity in the project activities and priority setting of the network with focus on the affected population. Information about this funding was learned through a colleague at MSU. HA qualifies for funding preference as the project service area is an officially designated HPSA and an MUC (Attachment 8).
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).