La Plata County Community Summit Launches Effort: The Citizens Health Advisory Council (CHAC) was started in 2001 as a result of the La Plata County Community Summit – “Access to Healthcare” breakout session. Over 50 people attended this session including community leaders, elected officials, health care providers, non-profit representatives and many interested citizens. Together, these participants envisioned that a broad coalition dedicated to improving access to health care was needed. The CHAC was formed in that summer and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011.

An Inclusive, Open Model: The CHAC was established early on as an open group. Anyone with an interest and stake has a seat at the table. A variety of viewpoints and the concept of inclusiveness are valued since La Plata County is both culturally and geographically diverse ~
and since this is a very active community (ies) with many people and groups making a difference.   Since that time, representatives from key health care organizations have attended CHAC meetings as well as representatives of local government, business groups, elected officials, non profits, community groups, and interested citizens with diverse backgrounds.

Early Projects and Results:  After several organizing meetings, the CHAC quickly got to work and published a report, “A Picture of Healthcare in La Plata County” which documents trends, needs and priorities. Also during its early days, the CHAC planned and facilitated, with partners, a number of health care forums, trainings and/or community meetings to educate citizens and elected officials about health care issues and reforms; to mobilize advocacy efforts; and to link with state and federal organizations. This is a vital role the CHAC continues to play today as bringing our communities together around pressing topics is as important as ever.
 
Also, in the early 2000s, the CHAC assisted in launching and giving political credibility to a separate coalition that later established a regional acute treatment mental health facility called Crossroads (operated today by Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center doing business as Axis Health System).

Lessons Learned from a Failed Election: In the mid 2000s, the CHAC members and participants came to realize that with State budget cuts occurring, population growth soaring and health care reforms stalled at the federal level, a local Health Service District was needed to ensure needed funding for addressing priority issues around primary care, mental health and preventive health care. So, from 2003 to 2005, the group studied other Health Service and Hospital Districts in Colorado; led the effort to conduct a valid Primary Care Access Study; hosted many community forums to gather input; conducted community surveys; and learned all of the necessary steps to run a Health Service District campaign. This work led to a Health Service District campaign that was launched from September 2005 to May of 2006. The CHAC melded with several other entities to form the all-volunteer campaign team.

While the election of May 2006 was not successful, many important issues were raised. Most importantly, our county-wide community became much more aware of health care issues, ideas for change, funding gaps and consumer and patient desires and needs. A small group of business and health care professionals joined together as the Primary Health Care Community Coalition (PHCCC). This group undertook two important tasks. First, they approached both La Plata County and City of Durango officials and requested funding to help establish a Health Services Clinic, to be operated by Mercy Regional Medical Center, which would address the crisis of care that resulted when Valley Wide Health Systems left La Plata County following the defeat of the HSD campaign. Secondly, the group requested funding from La Plata County and the City of Durango, to hire consultants JSI Research and Training Institute. JSI was charged with evaluating La Plata County’s access to primary care issues and developing a long-term, sustainable solution.  JSI presented their findings in September 2007. The findings included four recommendations:

• Take advantage of the Certified Rural Health Clinic program.
• Recruit and retain primary health care providers.
• Build upon the existing Health Services Clinic
• Utilize a variety of funding sources.

Click here for report     
With the report completed, the PHCCC dissolved, having achieved its two primary objectives. The responsibility of taking the JSI recommendations forward was given to a newly organized group of health care decision makers given the name Health Services Steering Committee.

The Election Aftermath and a Strategic Plan for the County: From 2006 to 2010, the CHAC worked with two smaller community groups (the Primary Health Care Community Coalition and the Health Services Steering Committee) that formed after the election’s failure. This collaborative effort resulted in a grant from The Colorado Health Foundation for the ‘La Plata County Community Health Care Capacity Project’. Through this effort, Julie Thompson, was hired as a consultant in 2009 to conduct a very through community assessment including studying other models in Colorado and across the nation. The mandate was to produce a strategic plan for the county that could enjoy wide-spread support.   

The CHAC Today: The November 2011 Update (PDF) was released in November of 2011.
Click here for the update.

In the fall of 2010, the CHAC underwent several sessions of strategic planning to hone and reassess its vision, mission and goals.   

Just as in 2001, the CHAC remains an open, active group where people from many viewpoints can learn, collaborate and work together to improve the health of those who live in La Plata County.