AHA UPDATE
Oral Health Resources for Seniors in Aurora

As you know, most of AHA's work is done through active, issue-focused work groups and task forces.  One such work group, the Senior Circle, was concerned that seniors are under-served and under-insured when it comes to oral health.

The AHA Senior Circle, working with the Aurora Commission for Seniors, compiled the attached "Guide to Oral Health Resources for Seniors in Aurora."  This is not a list of dental providers, but rather specific resources for seniors who lack mobility or the ability to pay for dental services.  We heard personally from these providers at one of our meetings, which was one of the best attended we've ever had.  We all learned something and we hope you will, too.  If you know of any additional services and resources that should be added, please contact [email protected].
Register for the April Quarterly Community Meeting

Our Spring Quarterly Community Meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital, 900 Potomac St., Aurora, CO 80011.  We are requesting that you register in advance. It is quick and easy. Just click here: it only takes seconds!

AHA's 2nd Annual Senior Forum:  Registration Now Open

Registration for both participants and exhibitors is now open for AHA's 2nd Annual Senior Forum to be held on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at The Summit Conference and Event Center, 411 Sable Blvd. N, Aurora, CO.  Last year we had to cut off the registration for both exhibitors and participants because it filled so quickly, so don't delay.  Reserve your spot now by clicking on the appropriate link below.

Participants:  The forum is free, but registration is required so we can manage seating and lunches.  Please click here to register before the space fills up!


Sponsors:  There are corporate sponsorships available for this event.  You will want to get in on this opportunity early, so that we can promote your name as we roll out promotional materials for the event.  For more information about sponsorship levels, please click here to download a flyer or contact Sharon at [email protected].  

InnovAge/PACE has already come on board as a major sponsor!


AHA Allies:  Please distribute and display the attached flyer for the Senior Forum.

Urgent Care Clinics and Free-Standing Emergency Rooms

It's here!  We've been promising you a consumer information sheet to explain the differences between urgent care clinics and free-standing emergency rooms (FSERs). Aurora is fortunate to have many options of where to go for care.  Knowing the difference between these facilities can save you time and perhaps a great deal of money.  After much research, our infograpic is finally ready! 


Please help distribute this important information to all your groups.  And when you do, we would very much appreciate knowing which groups you shared it with so we can compile that information for our funders.


Did you know that if you walk through the door on the right, a headache might cost you $135, but the door on the left might cost $3,500?  




Do You Know These People?
New Focus Group Opportunity!

Aurora Health Access is partnering with Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program's Innovation Center (CCHAP IC)  to host a series of focus groups in the NW Aurora area in April and May.  Can you help us reach a very specific target group?  We are looking for:

1) parents of children under 16;
2) with Medicaid insurance;
3) who use smart phones;

We will have an English-speaking and a bilingual Spanish-speaking group. We would also prefer that they be from Children's Hospital service area of NW Aurora.  Participants will receive a meal at both meetings and a generous $35 gift card. (They will receive a gift card for each session in which they participate [possible total of $70].)
 
Please share this opportunity. If you or someone you know would be willing to participate, please email Sharon at [email protected].
Coffee Klatsch

What is a coffee klatsch?  According to an online dictionary, it comes from the German word kaffeeklatsch and is "a social gathering for informal conversation at which coffee is served." AHA hosted a coffee klatsch at Jubilee Roasting Company on February 17 to learn more about several Aurora resources. 
 
Benita Muniz, the Manager of the Aurora Time Bank, expalained how the ATB program works. It was featured in our August 2015 newsletter, which you can find in the "newsletter archives" on our website.
 
David Portillo, Manager of the Denver Foundation's "Strengthening Neighborhood Program," shared information about the Aurora Community Network Meetings, which are monthly gatherings for Aurora community residents and families; local organizations, businesses, and staff; and faculty and students from local universities, colleges, and schools, to share ideas, needs, concerns, and services with their fellow community members while socializing over a delicious, local meal.

The meetings alternate each month between a breakfast (held at 9:00AM) and dinner (held at 5:30PM) that take place at various locations in the community. RSVP is required to make sure enough food is available. For questions, please contact David Portillo at The Denver Foundation: [email protected].
Heather Logan
AHA Board Member
AHA Board Member Close Up:
Heather Logan

Heather Logan is the Director of Accountable Care at Metro Community Provider Network (MCPN), where she focuses on hospital utilization project management, comprehensive care coordination development, program operations, and external relations.  Heather is also the Director for the Bridges to Care Program, which is an innovative hotspotting program that concentrates on lowering inappropriate use of the emergency room and increased access into primary care. The program currently partners with three hospital systems and has saved $8 million in costs.  Heather holds a Master's in Social Work from Colorado State University. She currently serves as the Chair of the Jefferson County Hotspotting Alliance and is on the board of Aurora Health Access and University Hospital's Community Health Needs advisory committee. Heather is passionate about integrated, all-inclusive healthcare and advocating for customized care and quality of life.  She enjoys yoga, crocheting, running, and chasing after Keva, her two-year-old daughter.
 
We asked Heather what drew her to serving as a Board Member for Aurora Health Access.  Here's what she had to say:  "I was amazed at AHA's ability to assist in developing linkages and strong communication between Aurora community partners. AHA has been key in bringing the Aurora community together.  AHA is not only a leader in recognizing and demonstrating community needs, but also working diligently to be solution focused through aligning  organizations to collectively have one unified voice to advocate, support, and create awareness to the underserved Aurora Community.  I am proud and truly honored to serve on such a dedicated board of movers and shakers!"
Community News
Build Healthier Futures for Kids!  

As we announced last month, Children's Hospital Colorado completed its 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment. Now they are moving into the implementation phase and they need your input.  If you are an advocate for children, they are counting on your participation to help build healthier futures for kids.  After spending hundreds of hours interviewing community members and gathering information, Children's Colorado has identified six health priorities:  1) mental health; 2) nutrition, physical activity, and obesity; 3) oral health; 4) injury; 5) prematurity; and 6)  respiratory illness.

They need your help in gaining additional insight into these priority areas and identifying partnerships that will address the underlying causes of kids' most urgent health problems. By attending this meeting, you will have the opportunity to give input that will make Children's Hospital's Implementation Plan benefit your community most.

This important meeting will be held:

March 4th
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Children's Hospital Colorado
Mt. Princeton Conference Room
13123 East 16th Ave
Aurora, CO


Is a "Universal Healthcare System" Right for Colorado?
 
That's a good question! Plan on learning more at a debate on March 2, 2016 on the Anschutz campus. Please notice that they are requesting an RSVP if you plan to go. You can RSVP by clicking here.


Day of Action!

Make your voice heard on healthcare issues important to you! The Colorado Consumer Health Initiative is hosting a "Health Care Day of Action" on March 10, from 8:30 am - 1:15 pm. Health Care Day of Action is an opportunity for consumers and advocates from all over Colorado to discuss important health policy issues and engage with legislators on current health policy. There's a lot going on in Colorado to improve our health systems so that all Coloradans can get the care they need when they need it. Registration required. Click here to register.
How Small Businesses Use the Exchange

John Reeves III, a member of AHA's Coverage Work Group and a licensed insurance broker, certified with Connect for Health Colorado, wrote an article for BizWest about small business and how they're using the Exchange. "By using the exchange, employers can fix their contribution toward health insurance while they increase the odds their workers will find more satisfaction in their coverage because they selected it themselves....Business owners see a bottom-line return on a healthier, happier and more loyal workforce but, in the end, we all benefit."

AWTN Summer Lunch Sponsors Needed

Every summer AWTN provides lunch to 100 individuals onsite. Providing lunch is fun -- a perfect project for scout troops, churches, co-worker teams, or a group of friends or neighbors. To participate, simply:
  • Select date(s) between June 13 -July 3, 2016;
  • Provide lunch (sack lunch, pizza, or bbq) for 100 individuals; and
  • Provide at least two volunteers onsite to serve  food.
Please email [email protected] to sign up or for more info!
10 Things to Know about Medicaid in Colorado

In 2014, the number of Medicaid enrollees in Colorado passed one million when Medicaid was expanded as part of the Affordable Care Act.  Medicaid can be complicated, so Colorado Public Radio broke it down to 10 key things to know about Medicaid in Colorado. Their report is based on interviews and information provided by the non-partisan Colorado Health Institute, a research and analysis group, and Colorado's Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. To read the article, please click here
AHA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Tri-County Health Department
by Kaitlin Wolff,  Immunization Nurse Supervisor
 
Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) serves more than 1.3 million people in Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties. From 11 different offices across the area, TCHD provides direct assistance to residents of all ages through 60 different programs and services. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program at TCHD provides food and nutrition counseling to eligible families. The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a voluntary home health visitation program for women who are having their first baby. The Health Care Program for Children with Special Needs (HCP) offers support and resources for parents and their children with special healthcare needs from birth to 21 years of age. For eligible women between the ages of 40 and 64, TCHD's Peak Wellness program offers free screenings for breast and cervical cancers, as well as heart health. Walk-in and appointment clinics are available for family planning services and immunizations at low- or no-cost. Walk-in clinics are also available for STI and HIV testing. Through NFP and immunization clinics, children ages six months to five years also receive new, high-quality books from the national Reach Out and Read program to promote reading at home.
 
TCHD strives to provide optimal health across the lifespan for the populations served. Visit the TCHD website at www.tchd.org to find your local office and the services provided at each location. 

WIC in action!

 

AHA envisions a community where all residents
 have an opportunity for health. 

AHA works collaboratively to improve access 
to care and create a healthier Aurora 
with a focus on the most vulnerable and underserved.

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