Kids First Inc

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - KIDS FIRST HEALTH CARE 4675 EAST 69TH AVENUE COMMERCE CITY, CO 80022 WHITNEY GUSTIN CONNOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PHONE: 303.289.1086 FAX: 303.289.7378 WCONNOR@KIDSFIRSTCO.ORG HTTPS://WWW.KIDSFIRSTHEALTHCARE.ORG/ FUNDING REQUEST: $800,000 PROJECT ABSTRACT KIDS FIRST HEALTH CARE IS A NONPROFIT PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE PRACTICE THAT HAS SERVED INFANTS, CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES OF COMMERCE CITY SINCE 1978. WE WERE CREATED BY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD WITH THE BELIEF THAT ALL CHILDREN DESERVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. SINCE THEN, WE’VE GROWN TO A TOTAL OF EIGHT CLINIC SITES IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES ACROSS ADAMS COUNTY. WE ARE PARTICULARLY COMMITTED TO THE RESIDENTS OF COMMERCE CITY AS IT CONTINUES TO BE AMONG THE HIGHEST NEED COMMUNITIES IN METRO DENVER. EIGHTY-FOUR PERCENT OF LOCAL STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE/REDUCED LUNCHES, 91% IDENTIFY AS A RACIAL OR ETHNIC MINORITY AND PER CAPITAL INCOME IS APPROXIMATELY $19,000 (STATEWIDE RATE: $38,226). CLOSE TO 20% OF KIDS FIRST PATIENTS ARE UNINSURED (STATEWIDE RATE: 4.3%), AND APPROXIMATELY 80% ARE ENROLLED IN MEDICAID OR CHILD HEALTH PLAN PLUS (STATEWIDE RATE: 40%). UNDER A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KIDS FIRST LEADERSHIP DETERMINED IT WAS TIME FOR A NEW COMMERCE CITY PEDIATRIC HEALTH CLINIC THAT COULD MORE EFFECTIVELY DELIVER CARE THAT MEETS LOCAL NEEDS. KIDS FIRST’S CURRENT CLINIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES HAVE OCCUPIED THE SAME 2,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING FOR 32 YEARS WITH FEW UPGRADES OR RENOVATIONS. OUR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH EDUCATION AND MEDICAID/CHP+ ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE, AND PATIENT NUMBERS HAVE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THAT TIME. THE NEW CLINIC’S EXPANDED SERVICES, CO-LOCATION WITH OTHER SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND PROXIMITY TO BUS AND LIGHT RAIL STOPS WILL MEET IDENTIFIED NEEDS SUCH AS: - MEDICAID DATA INDICATES APPROXIMATELY 2,100 CHILDREN IN COMMERCE CITY ARE NOT RECEIVING BASIC HEALTH CARE SERVICES. - LOCAL CHILDREN AND YOUTH HAVE SIGNIFICANT UNMET MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. ACCORDING TO KIDS FIRST’S 2019-20 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, 52% OF YOUTH REPORTED THAT ANXIETY AND STRESS ARE TOP OF THEIR HEALTH CONCERNS, BUT ONLY 25% REPORTED VISITING A THERAPIST WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. - COMMERCE CITY CHILDREN SUFFER FROM HIGHER INCIDENCE OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE ONGOING MANAGEMENT TO STAY WELL. FOR EXAMPLE, THE INCIDENCE OF ASTHMA AMONG KIDS FIRST’S COMMERCE CITY PATIENTS IS 57% HIGHER THAN THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE. - LOCAL AND STATEWIDE DATA SHOWS THAT LACK OF TRANSPORTATION AND TIME ARE AMONG THE GREATEST BARRIERS TO CLIENTS ACCESSING HEALTH CARE. KIDS FIRST PRACTICES AN EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICAL HOME MODEL, WHICH OFFERS INTEGRATED PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND DENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND EMPHASIZES CARE COORDINATION AMONG PRACTITIONERS. EACH OF THE SERVICES BULLETED BELOW WILL BE ADDED OR EXPANDED AS WE TRANSITION FROM THE CURRENT COMMERCE CITY CLINIC TO THE NEW ONE. BY CO-LOCATING AND COORDINATING WITH OTHER SERVICE AGENCIES, KID FIRST WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY CONNECT OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES SUCH A FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER, FOOD, HOUSING AND MORE. KIDS FIRST HEALTH CARE DELIVERY MODEL: - PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE – SERVICES INCLUDE WELL-CHILD CHECKS, IMMUNIZATIONS, SICK VISITS, CHRONIC CARE MANAGEMENT AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES. - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH – WE ARE CURRENTLY HIRING ADDITIONAL COUNSELORS TO RESPOND TO THE INCREASED NEED FOR BRIEF INTERVENTION AND COUNSELING AMONG OUR PATIENTS SINCE COVID. - DENTAL HEALTH – DENTAL CARE WILL BE A NEW SERVICE AT THE COMMERCE CITY CLINIC, OFFERED THROUGH CO-LOCATION AND COORDINATION WITH NONPROFIT KIDS IN NEED OF DENTISTRY. - INSURANCE ENROLLMENT SERVICES—KIDS FIRST’S ENROLLMENT SPECIALIST HELPS CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS ENROLL IN MEDICAID/CHP+. - HEALTH EDUCATION SERVICES — OUR HEALTH EDUCATORS PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON NUTR

HEALTHY TOMORROWS PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM

RAVALLI COUNTY PREVENTION COALITION SUPPORT PROGRAM

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) GRANTS FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS CAPITAL PROGRAM

RURAL HEALTH CLINIC VACCINE CONFIDENCE PROGRAM

HEALTHY TOMORROWS PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM