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health-equity
Elevating Equity: Delivering Health & Wellness to Mountain Residents
From the plains to the peaks, learn about the team bringing affordable medical, dental, and mental health care to Colorado’s rural communities.
Nestled up in the Rocky Mountains, Nederland and Black Hawk are idyllic mountain towns teaming with charm, history, and stunning beauty. They offer vibrant arts communities, endless hiking trails, and easy access to skiing.
Unfortunately, what they don’t offer is many health care options.
In 2021, Nederland had just one primary care provider. Gilpin County had none. The closest hospital was an hour away, if the roads were clear.
Fortunately, this changed in July 2022.
Creating paths to health and healing in Colorado’s high country
After listening to feedback from community members and elected officials, Clinica Family Health – in partnership with Mental Health Partners – opened two small clinics to serve our mountain communities: one in downtown Nederland and another just outside Black Hawk. Both clinics offer a wide range of affordable medical, dental, and mental health services to individuals and families – services which are dearly needed in these long-neglected communities.
Here is a glimpse into the troubling health disparities among rural residents, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC):
- Americans living in rural areas are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke than urban residents.
- Rural residents have higher rates of poverty, less access to healthcare, and are less likely to have health insurance.
- Unintentional injury deaths are more common in rural areas than in urban areas. This is partially due to motor vehicle crashes and opioid overdoses.
Rural mountain towns across the U.S. - particularly in the Rocky Mountain states – are also grappling with a mental health and substance use crisis. While many factors may be contributing to these challenges facing mountain communities, limited access to health care and resources almost certainly plays a significant role.
By opening these two clinics in Nederland and Black Hawk, we are better able to meet people where they are and overcome some of the burdens in accessing quality health care.
Trailblazers of rural medicine and healthcare
A small but mighty team operates our Mountain Clinics on alternating days to make it easier for residents to access medical, dental, and mental health care. Our staff are experts in their field and include a family physician, nurse, nurse manager, behavioral health professional, peer support specialist, care coordinator, front desk specialist, and clinical and medical directors.
Most of the providers and staff live nearby – including in Rollinsville, Nederland, Central City, and Ward – which helps the team build close connections and personal relationships with folks in the community whom they serve.
“My favorite part of my job is being able to work in the community I care most about and being part of a new project that Nederland has been trying to achieve for some time. It’s exciting to bring this integrated, whole-person healthcare model to the community I love, serve, and call home,” said Ari Cacek, the team’s Care Coordinator.
Trust is an important ingredient in solving the unique healthcare challenges facing rural Coloradans. Because our team is part of the mountain community they serve, this can make folks feel more safe, understood, and seen by their provider. For instance, the team often sees patients and clients who have not been to a doctor in a decade or more because of proximity. Others are skeptical of health providers and so have lived with chronic conditions without treatment for years.
Shortly after opening, word quickly spread through the community – largely thanks to staff being a part of the community they serve. Now, just two and half years later our Mountain Clinics team works with over 1,000 community members (and counting)! And we are still accepting new patients and clients.
Access comprehensive health care for your body and mind
In-person and virtual health care are available at our Nederland and Gilpin clinics. Services for individuals and families include:
- Primary medical care
- Wellness checks
- Prenatal care
- Vaccines
- Health screenings
- Lab services
- Chronic disease treatment
- Therapy
- Peer support
- Care coordination and case management
We accept Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, and uninsured patients. Financial assistance is also available for those who qualify.
To learn more about our medical and dental services, visit www.clinica.org or call (303) 650-4460. To learn more about our mental health and substance use services, get started online or by calling (303) 443-8500.