Access to Health Care
Jefferson County, Colorado
What is Health Care?
Health care includes efforts to maintain, restore or promote physical, mental or emotional well-being generally performed by trained professionals such as doctors, nurses and mental health care providers.
What is Access to Health Care?
Health care accessibility refers to a person's ability to get health care when they need it. Key factors effecting access include knowledge of types of care, availability of culturally appropriate services/providers and access to health insurance or other payment methods.
Elements of Access to Health Care
Why it Matters
Having access to health care is important for maintaining health, preventing disease, reducing financial burdens and improving community health. Increasing access to health care can lead to more timely treatment, better health outcomes, improved quality of life and enhanced community resilience. According to the Colorado Health Access Survey, 1 in 5 Jefferson County residents did not get needed mental health care in 2023. Over 7% did not get needed general medical care from a doctor. The Healthy Jeffco Alliance is supporting communities and organizations across Jeffco in increasing access to mental/behavioral and physical health care.
Our Goal
Reduce the percentage of people with unmet mental health service needs in Jefferson County from 20.5% in 2023 to under 14% by the end of 2031.
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How Alliance Partners are Increasing Access to Health Care
Increasing Knowledge of How to Navigate the Health Care System
One of the first steps to accessing health care is understanding when and where to go for care and how to pay for it. Alliance partners are developing shared materials, and hosting workshops and events to improve people's understanding of the health care system.
Increasing Health Insurance Enrollment
Health insurance is one of the best tools for helping people pay for health care. In fact, people with health insurance are more likely to seek necessary care, compared to people without health insurance (KFF). Unfortunately, a growing number of people in Jefferson County are uninsured due to policy changes with the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Alliance partners are working together to help more residents enroll once again in health insurance.
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Increasing Mental Health Providers Who Accept Insurance
Once people have a better understanding of how to navigate the health care system, and they are able to pay for care, appropriate providers, such as mental health care providers, must be available to accept new patients. Alliance partners are working together to reduce barriers and recruit new health care providers who accept more insurance options.
Community Events
Partners of the Alliance also have individual efforts increasing access to health care through reducing stigma, increasing health literacy and more. Visit the websites for Jefferson Center for Mental Health and Doctors Care for information on their community events.
Resources
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