National Health Center Week (NHCW), August 4 – 10, is an annual event that “celebrate[s] and increase[s] awareness of America’s 1,400 Community Health Centers (CHCs). National Health Center Week is an opportunity to highlight the commitment and passion of Community Health Center staff, board members, and supporters who make it possible to provide quality, comprehensive health care services to more than 31.5 million patients across nearly 15,000 communities annually.” (NACHC)
FOCUS DAY | Agricultural Worker Health Center Day
Each day of NHCW focuses on a specific patient population CHCs serve or a service that CHCs provide.
Today centers around another specific patient population that CHCs like Peak Vista serve: agricultural workers. 41% of CHCs are in rural communities where the nearest doctor or hospital can be more than 50 miles away. 1 in 5 rural patients are served by CHCs.
Peak Vista serves a significant rural population. We have four health centers that reach our rural neighbors: the Health Centers at Divide, Strasburg, and Limon, as well as the Dental Center at Flagler. Last year, these locations served (combined) 7,576 patients, 10% of our total patient population.
[Learn more about this focus day]
HOW WE PARTICIPATE | Gifting Solar Chargers to Community Partners
Today, members of our Peak Vista team will deliver 400 solar chargers to those in our community helping our unhoused neighbors. They will visit Westside Cares, Homeward Pikes Peak, The Place, and Inside Out Youth Services, as well as Peak Vista’s Health Center Downtown, and Care Coordination teams.
For those experiencing homelessness, a cellphone can be a lifeline that connects them to needed services. Without a consistent place to charge their phone, they may not be able to schedule health care appointments, view maps and bus schedules, speak with various support services around the city, and stay connected with friends and family. A phone is not a luxury; it is a necessity, and these solar chargers will be invaluable. Photos from the delivery will be available on our NHCW webpage later today.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT | Monica Gonzalez
It takes a village to provide care to more than 74,000 patients per year. This NHCW, we’re shining the spotlight on members of our team who help keep Peak Vista running and providing exceptional care to our community.
The Health Center at Limon is one of Peak Vista’s rural locations. Located in the heart of Colorado’s Eastern Plains, the town of Limon is home to just over 2,000 individuals. Monica Gonzalez has lived in this town for a decade, and she is passionate about the health and well-being of her neighbors.
Monica joined the Peak Vista team just last year, and we have already started to see the impact of her work. As the Site Supervisor at the Health Center at Limon, she manages the day-to-day operations of the clinic. While her work includes oversight of workflows, budget, staffing, and scheduling of patients, the largest piece of her job is ensuring the safety and welfare of her staff and patients.
During her time with us, Monica has joined and engaged with several local committees to raise awareness of Peak Vista’s many services and to integrate Peak Vista within the tight-knit Limon community. As a community health center, it’s invaluable for us to be active participants within the communities we serve. This helps us meet our patients where they are, build trusting relationships, and – most importantly – see firsthand the needs of our community and work to address them.
For Monica, working at a nonprofit health center has empowered her to drive change and improve the overall public health outcomes in her community through the services her location provides.
The Health Center at Limon provides medical, dental, and behavioral health care services to the local Limon population and the surrounding areas. Monica was selected by her supervisor to be featured due to her outstanding work ethic and demonstration of Peak Vista values.
