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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IMPACTS CLEAR CREEK COUNTY “The combined efforts of Red Rocks Community College, the Clear Creek County Health Advisory and The Colorado Trust have succeeded in launching the only family practice clinic in Clear Creek County that serves uninsured and new Medicaid clients,” said Joan W. Smith, Executive Director of Planning, Research and Strategic Initiatives at RRCC. “Support for technical assistance has helped the Clear Creek County Health Advisory to expand its network of resources and providers, including other Trust grantees. The Clear Creek County Health Advisory was also enabled to recruit and retain Dr. Elane Shirar to assume physician oversight of the Meadows Family Clinic in Idaho Springs.” Technical assistance support further enabled a consultant to conduct a feasibility study of the clinic and to create a business plan for its sustainability. “Besides providing an array of free to low-cost preventative and health care services, the Meadows Family Clinic also serves an important role as a clinical placement training site for the more than 150 students annually enrolled in RRCC’s Nurse’s Aide, Physician Assistant and Medical Assistant programs,” continued Smith. “Clear Creek County is working with Dr. Shirar to house the clinic in a larger space with full-time hours so that these students have a rural health care site in a medically underserved community less than 30 minutes from metro Denver in which to complete required internships and clinicals.” “We are extremely enthusiastic about filling the affordable health care void in Clear Creek County,” said Jim Keller, Director of RRCC’s Physician Assistant Program. For more information, contact Laurel Petralia, Program Officer, 303-837-1200, laurel@coloradotrust.org. |
