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August 2014 | Aurora Health Access Newsletter
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
Metro Community Provider Network, Together Colorado, Aurora Mental Health Center and University of Colorado Hospital have collaborated to celebrate and promote the Bridges to Care program. This celebration will be held August 13th from 1:00-3:00pm outdoors at the North Aurora Family Health Services Office, 3292 Peoria St., Aurora, 80110. For further information on the Bridges to Care program, please visit http://www.togethercolorado.org/action/bridges-to-care-program.
The Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children is offering Access to Care Grants to provide dental care to underserved/limited access children. Online letters of intent must be submitted by August 18th. For further information and and to access grant guidelines, please visit http://www.aapd.org/foundation/.
Aurora Strong Resilience Center has partnered with Aurora Health Mental Center to host several information sessions in July and August regarding how traumatic events can change us and our community. Refreshments provided and babysitting can be arranged. For further information, please click on the following link AuMHC Community Support Information Sessions. Tri-County Health Department, in partnership with Aurora Mental Health is offering mental health for new moms. MamaTalk is held every Wednesday from 10:30-12:00 pm at the Tri-County Health Department, 15400 E. 14th Place Aurora, CO 80010. This class is free and there is no registration required. For more information, please contact Vicki Swarr at vswarr@tchd.com.
The Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved is hosting its annual luncheon Tuesday, September 23rd from 11:00-1:00 pm at the Space Gallery (400 Santa Fe Drive, Denver). For further information, please visit http://www.ccmu.org/events/annual-luncheon/. Children's Hospital Colorado is seeking individuals and organizations that can provide financial support, staff time, or supplies to the Denver/Aurora Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI). Please contact Deb Federspiel at
Deborah.federspiel@childrenscolorado.org or 720-777-6770. To learn more about FLTI, visit http://flti.wordpress.com/.
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Mark your calendars! AHA's next Quarterly Community Meeting will be held October 15th from 2:00 to 4:30 pm. The location for this meeting is yet to be determined.
AHA UPDATE July Quarterly Meeting Overview  AHA was pleased to have fifty-four participants attend the July Quarterly Community Meeting, held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on July 16, 2014. Guest presenter, Val Purser - Executive Director of South Metro Health Alliance (SMHA) - provided an overview of the programs they offer throughout Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. AHA will be collaborating with SMHA to improve access to oral health services in Aurora and Arapahoe County. Natalie Trombly - Program Manager for Integrated Care, Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network - provided information about the Senior Reach program, which both Arapahoe Douglas Mental Health and Aurora Mental Health Center are bringing to Arapahoe County. Members were asked, "Who is still "falling through the cracks" despite Aurora's stellar efforts to expand health insurance coverage?" The responses included Aurora's refugees, our homeless, the working poor, children of undocumented people, Medicaid patients who get kicked out of the program, and transients. The AHA board will consider this member input in exploring strategies and setting priorities toward the mission of creating a health system that works for all residents of Aurora. The next Quarterly Community Meeting will be held October 15, 2014 from 2:00 to 4:30. The meeting is currently scheduled at the Aurora Strong Resilience Center, although, given the turn out in July, a larger meeting space will be explored. Watch the AHA newsletter for updates.
AHA Website
Hopefully, you have noticed that AHA's website is undergoing some transformation. We hope to have it up and improved in a couple of weeks.
One of the content areas we are adding is a new section entitled, "Aurora Health Data, Resource Lists, and Reports." With 17 zip codes, several of these shared with other counties, it can be challenging to find health and demographic data specific to Aurora. AHA will help by finding and posting data sources. We are also going to link to or upload resource lists for health services developed by our member organizations, and reports focused on Aurora health issues conducted by our partners at the Colorado School of Public Health. To view our website, please visit http://www.aurorahealthaccess.org/. If you have ideas for this site, or information you'd like to see included, please contact us.
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AHA Member Spotlight:
ClinicNET is the centralized voice for Colorado's Community Safety Net Clinics (CSNCs). Since its incorporation in 2007, ClinicNET has been committed to strengthening Colorado's safety net by supporting community clinics, free clinics, hospital residency clinics and other safety net providers. From advocating for safety net issues to providing technical assistance and education, ClinicNET's services support its mission to enhance the capacity of its affiliates to serve medically vulnerable Coloradans and provide a voice for these critical safety net providers.
There are currently 38 CSNCs serving approximately 152,000 Coloradans by providing an estimated 478,000 patient visits a year. The clinics primarily serve low income, vulnerable, at-risk Coloradans who are uninsured, underinsured or insured through public programs like Medicare, Medicaid or subsidized health plans purchased through Connect for Health Colorado. Patients who do not qualify for government insurance programs or subsidies are often asked to pay for services at a flat fee or on a sliding fee scale. If possible, clinics will not turn patients away based on an inability to pay and some clinics provide services completely free of charge.
CSNCs have grown organically across Colorado due to the forward thinking of civic-minded individuals, health care professionals and systems, churches and other community organizations that recognize that despite the presence of other safety net providers in their communities, there are countless individuals, children and families that still need timely access to outpatient health care services.
There are multiple ClinicNET affiliates located in Aurora, including Ardas Family Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado Child Health Clinic, Colorado Primary Care Clinic, Colorado Total Smiles, Head2Toe HealthCare, Rocky Mountain Youth Aurora Clinic and Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics School-Based Health Centers.
Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 is an annual effort to celebrate, support, and advocate for Colorado's health care safety net. ClinicNET and the Colorado Rural Health Center are sponsoring the 5 th annual Safety Net Clinic Week 2014, August 18-22. The week is devoted to educating the public, policymakers and other community leaders about Colorado's Community Safety Net Clinics (CSNCs) and federally certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see what's happening during Safety Net Clinic Week (@ClinicNET)!
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About Us
Aurora Health Access (AHA) is a collaboration of engaged residents, health care providers, and community agencies committed to creating a health care system in Aurora that meets the needs of all residents.
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