New Report: More than Two Million Coloradans Have Access to Medical Homes

KEYSTONE – More than two million Coloradans – 40 percent of the state’s population – are now connected to a medical home, an innovative model of health care delivery that many experts view as one of the most promising ways to improve quality while lowering costs, according to a new report released today at the annual Colorado Health Symposium by the Colorado Health Foundation and the Colorado Health Institute (CHI). 

Legislation in Review 2015: What Worked and What Didn’t Under the Golden Dome

Colorado legislators said yes to efficiency bills and no to partisan measures during the 2015 session.

That's the conclusion of Legislation in Review, a Colorado Health Institute report released today. The report analyzes all health-related bills and discerns the top themes of the term.

The session's highlights included new laws to expand telehealth services and the ability of advanced practice nurses to prescribe drugs. 

Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care: Lessons from Colorado

Colorado is placing a big bet on the expected benefits of integrating primary care and behavioral health care.

Integration is a focus of Colorado’s $65 million State Innovation Model (SIM) award. And many practices across the state are already innovating around integration.

The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) studied six practices that are testing an array of approaches to integration, tailoring models to their locations, their client populations, their workplace cultures and their available resources, among other considerations.

CHI Analysis Pinpoints Schools and Districts That Could Benefit From School-Based Health Centers

Colorado is fortunate to be home to a growing number of school-based health centers (SBHCs). These health centers are an important part of the health care safety net, providing care to more than 34,000 children across the state.

Support from Colorado lawmakers, the federal government and the state’s health foundations has helped SBHCs expand and multiply. And with a recent infusion of funds from the legislature, school-based health is poised for more growth.

Still, some places that need SBHCs don’t have them, according to a new Colorado Health Institute analysis.

CHI Creates New Resource for Regional Behavioral Health Data

Behavioral health is making headlines in Colorado.

The state recently received $65 million from the federal government to help increase the  integration of physical and behavioral health. Foundations are increasingly funding organizations working to improve access to mental health services. And advocacy groups are turning up the volume about the importance of good behavioral health in maintaining the well-being of the whole person.

But what do we know about the behavioral health of Coloradans at the state and regional levels?