Health Equity
Empowering All for a Healthier Tomorrow
Healthy Archuleta is dedicated to achieving health equity, defined by the CDC as "the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health." We collaborate with healthcare and community organizations to improve healthcare accessibility and utilization for all residents. This involves identifying disparities and obstacles, providing prevention education, advocating for policy changes, partnering with rural healthcare funders, and building diverse coalitions for collective impact. Additionally, Healthy Archuleta connects community members with local providers and enhances mental and behavioral health services, particularly for households needing bilingual support. Our efforts include conducting needs assessments to identify gaps and resources, supporting the integration of mental health into primary care, training bilingual navigators, expanding access to Spanish-language services, reducing stigma, and securing grants for culturally sensitive care.
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Primary Preventative Health Care Access
According to the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps data for Archuleta County (2023), 16% of the residents under the age of 65 years old don't have health insurance as compared to 10% of the residents of Colorado and United States. Accessing and using primary preventive healthcare services is important for reducing the risk of diseases, disability, and death. |
Healthy People 2030 focuses on increasing preventive care for people of all ages. According to the Office of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, in 2020, 5.3% of U.S. adults aged 35 years and over received all of the recommended high priority appropriate clinical preventive services, which was a decrease from 6.9% in 2018, with the Healthy People 2030 goal of 11.5%. Healthy Archuleta is partnering with health care agencies and community organizations in Archuleta County to increase access and utilization of primary preventive health care services for all residents. For more information on accessing primary preventive health care services in Archuleta County, please click HERE.
Mental and Behavioral Health Access and Utilization
Healthy Archuleta (HA) is actively working to expand access to and utilization of mental and behavioral health services in Archuleta County, with a particular focus on Spanish-speaking households (including monolingual and bilingual members) who frequently encounter significant barriers to care. This comprehensive initiative launched after HA conducted a 2024 landscape assessment that identified current mental and behavioral health services, barriers, gaps and opportunities in Archuleta County. In 2025, efforts have included provider training (cultural competency, motivational interviewing), supporting the capacity and role of Bilingual Navigators (including offering interpreter training), and expanding Spanish-language telehealth and in-person care. Additionally, capacity building efforts have included navigators, community health workers, advocates, and care coordinators from multiple agencies. Community engagement through events aimed at sharing information and reducing stigmas are central components of this initiative. Strategic partnerships are also crucial, with HA is collaborating with Authentic Solutions Consulting to establish a mental/behavioral health hub for Hispanic and Spanish-speaking households to increase access and utilization of mental and behavioral health care. Additional partnerships include collaborating with CLAC en Español and the Archuleta County Rural Health Network to advance efforts. HA’s approach involves addressing stigma through community literacy programs and providing professional development for providers, navigators, advocates, care coordinators, and community health workers. The program also aims to address cost barriers to care by supporting community members to learn about and access all available care options.
Healthy Archuleta (HA) is actively working to expand access to and utilization of mental and behavioral health services in Archuleta County, with a particular focus on Spanish-speaking households (including monolingual and bilingual members) who frequently encounter significant barriers to care. This comprehensive initiative launched after HA conducted a 2024 landscape assessment that identified current mental and behavioral health services, barriers, gaps and opportunities in Archuleta County. In 2025, efforts have included provider training (cultural competency, motivational interviewing), supporting the capacity and role of Bilingual Navigators (including offering interpreter training), and expanding Spanish-language telehealth and in-person care. Additionally, capacity building efforts have included navigators, community health workers, advocates, and care coordinators from multiple agencies. Community engagement through events aimed at sharing information and reducing stigmas are central components of this initiative. Strategic partnerships are also crucial, with HA is collaborating with Authentic Solutions Consulting to establish a mental/behavioral health hub for Hispanic and Spanish-speaking households to increase access and utilization of mental and behavioral health care. Additional partnerships include collaborating with CLAC en Español and the Archuleta County Rural Health Network to advance efforts. HA’s approach involves addressing stigma through community literacy programs and providing professional development for providers, navigators, advocates, care coordinators, and community health workers. The program also aims to address cost barriers to care by supporting community members to learn about and access all available care options.
Community Health & Wellness
Healthy Archuleta works closely with the community to identify and co-develop learning opportunities that promote health and wellness. Topics include growing and preparing local foods, cultural and heritage foods, and healthy and affordable food options. These efforts focus on children, youth, parents, primary caregivers, food pantry clients, and other community members or groups. Examples of these activities include: Chef on Wheels: Food Demos, Kids in the Mountain Garden Program, and Heritage Cooking classes. Additionally, Healthy Archuleta recognizes the important role of physical activity in nutrition security and health equity, and plans to further research how Archuleta County residents access and utilize physical activity opportunities. We are collaborating with Community Health Empowerment (CHE) to explore establishing support groups that engage youth and families in learning to develop and maintain healthy habits in nutrition, fitness, sleep, and mindfulness.Through science-based materials and a participatory approach, individuals are empowered to to think and act with a focus on community health and wellness, fostering the understanding that health and wellness are for everyone.
Healthy Archuleta works closely with the community to identify and co-develop learning opportunities that promote health and wellness. Topics include growing and preparing local foods, cultural and heritage foods, and healthy and affordable food options. These efforts focus on children, youth, parents, primary caregivers, food pantry clients, and other community members or groups. Examples of these activities include: Chef on Wheels: Food Demos, Kids in the Mountain Garden Program, and Heritage Cooking classes. Additionally, Healthy Archuleta recognizes the important role of physical activity in nutrition security and health equity, and plans to further research how Archuleta County residents access and utilize physical activity opportunities. We are collaborating with Community Health Empowerment (CHE) to explore establishing support groups that engage youth and families in learning to develop and maintain healthy habits in nutrition, fitness, sleep, and mindfulness.Through science-based materials and a participatory approach, individuals are empowered to to think and act with a focus on community health and wellness, fostering the understanding that health and wellness are for everyone.
Capacity Building Efforts
In addition to its specific efforts aimed at advancing health equity, Healthy Archuleta focuses on building capacity within local food and healthcare systems through career and workforce development, volunteer and community engagement, language equity training, and youth-focused programming. The objectives of these efforts include strengthening the healthcare workforce, growing the local workforce in health, human services, and food systems, educating and mentoring youth, and empowering community members in health and wellness. Target Audiences for these initiatives include healthcare professionals, navigators, community health workers, and community members (youth and adults) interested in related careers. HA’s efforts in this area include professional development sessions on relevant topics, career advancement opportunities in health and food systems, and community wellness sessions focused on food and health. These activities aim to increase knowledge and skills, enhance career opportunities, improve healthcare access, and reduce health disparities. For more information, see our logic model for these efforts.
In addition to its specific efforts aimed at advancing health equity, Healthy Archuleta focuses on building capacity within local food and healthcare systems through career and workforce development, volunteer and community engagement, language equity training, and youth-focused programming. The objectives of these efforts include strengthening the healthcare workforce, growing the local workforce in health, human services, and food systems, educating and mentoring youth, and empowering community members in health and wellness. Target Audiences for these initiatives include healthcare professionals, navigators, community health workers, and community members (youth and adults) interested in related careers. HA’s efforts in this area include professional development sessions on relevant topics, career advancement opportunities in health and food systems, and community wellness sessions focused on food and health. These activities aim to increase knowledge and skills, enhance career opportunities, improve healthcare access, and reduce health disparities. For more information, see our logic model for these efforts.
Interested in empowering your community's health journey and building your capacity in health and wellness navigation? Check out the Navigator Workforce Development Efforts brochure. Want to build your professional capacity and skillset, check out our youth internship program.
Assessment, Planning, and Evaluation
Healthy Archuleta values and prioritizes assessment, planning, and evaluation to advance health equity. We collaborate with community partners, health partners and residents to gather data on local primary preventive health care access and utilization. Findings from this assessment have been used to inform our strategic actions and implementation plan. As a learning organization, Healthy Archuleta is intentional about integrating evaluation and reflection in all aspects of its work with partners and community members.
Healthy Archuleta values and prioritizes assessment, planning, and evaluation to advance health equity. We collaborate with community partners, health partners and residents to gather data on local primary preventive health care access and utilization. Findings from this assessment have been used to inform our strategic actions and implementation plan. As a learning organization, Healthy Archuleta is intentional about integrating evaluation and reflection in all aspects of its work with partners and community members.