Grantees

Supported the Colorado Rural Health Center in administering the Colorado Provider Recruitment Program to recruit and retain approximately 19 providers annually to work in rural and underserved communities.

Supported the Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence to conduct a study to identify effective models and systems that involve direct care nurses in decisions related to patient care and nurse work environments.

Supported production of the Frontline film Sick Around America, which explores the critical choices Americans face in attempting to access health coverage and care.

Conducted an evaluation of public insurance outreach and enrollment programs in community-based organizations funded by The Trust. The evaluation determined the programs’ impact on enrollment, retention and utilization of Colorado’s public health insurance programs. For select grantees, the team also conducted a cost analysis to examine the cost per client of implementing a case management approach to Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) and Medicaid outreach, enrollment and retention.

Through a national conference held in Denver in February 2009 (co-sponsored by Columbia University’s National Center for Children in Poverty), helped state leaders build on emerging best practices from around the country to integrate the health system into the broader early childhood development system. Co-sponsored the November 2010 BUILD Initiative national conference on the Health Community’s Role in Supporting Young Children’s Social and Emotional Development.

Researchers at Denver Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine used a randomized, controlled trial to determine the impact of Cavity Free at Three on the prevalence of dental caries in children under three years of age. The evaluation also assessed parent and caregiver satisfaction with the program, changes in knowledge and behavior of program trainees, and clinical barriers to program adoption. The evaluation was co-funded by The Trust, Caring for Colorado Foundation, Colorado Health Foundation, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, Rose Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.

Along with The Commonwealth Fund, HealthTeamWorks implemented a patient-centered medical home demonstration project in Colorado to improve primary care delivery by aligning high-quality, coordinated care with financial incentives.

Worked to identify and enroll eligible, but uninsured, children and youth in Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+).

Provided technical assistance to nurse education programs statewide to incorporate six quality and safety competencies, including patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety and informatics (i.e., using information and technology to share knowledge, mitigate errors and support decision making). Based on key findings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation‘s national pilot to implement quality and safety education in nurse curricula. (Visit QSEN online)

Backed efforts by the Colorado Rural Health Center to administer the Colorado Rural Outreach Program, to help offset the educational loan debts of approximately 20 health professionals annually in exchange for their commitment to practice in a rural area.