Project Grant 12VSWCO004

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: TRI-COUNTY HEALTH NETWORK'S (TCHNETWORK) MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND COORDINATION OF HEALTH IN OUR RURAL REGION BY INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND HEALTH SERVICES AT LOWER COSTS. THE PROPOSED VISTA PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE HEALTHY FUTURES FOCUS AREA. THE VISTA PROJECT WILL HELP DEVELOP, EVALUATE AND INCREASE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF TCHNETWORK'S COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH CARE ACCESS PROGRAMS (PROGRAMS) THAT FOCUS ON ASSURING THAT HEALTHCARE IS ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS OF OUR RURAL, LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. BENEFICIARIES OF THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE NOT ONLY TCHNETWORK PARTNERS BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE 83,495PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR RURAL AND GEOGRAPHICALLY CHALLENGING FOUR-COUNTY REGION OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO CONSISTING OF DELTA, OURAY, MONTROSE AND SAN MIGUEL COUNTIES. THREE (3) VISTA MEMBERS (TWO STANDARD AND ONE COST-SHARE) WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MEETING THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES TO COMPLEMENT TCHNETWORK'S PROGRAMS BY CREATING MUCH NEEDED ANALYSIS, EVALUATION, IMPROVING OUTREACH EFFORTS, ENHANCING OUR COMMUNICATION PROGRAMMING, DEVELOPING A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND ASSISTING IN EFFORTS TO SECURE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OVER THE NEXT YEAR. AN ADDITIONAL COST-SHARE VISTA MEMBER ASSISTS THE TELLURIDE FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION COMMITTED TO ENRICHING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF REGIONAL RESIDENTS THAT HAS A HISTORY OF PARTNERING WITH HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO MEET COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS, WITH ITS PARADOX COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE LOCATED IN THE PARADOX BASIN OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO. THIS VISTA MEMBER FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF THE INITIATIVE. THE PARADOX BASIN INCLUDES THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF MONTROSE AND SAN MIGUEL COUNTIES AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF DOLORES COUNTY. THE FOUNDATION IS WORKING SPECIFICALLY IN FIVE COMMUNITIES, DOVE CREEK, NORWOOD, NUCLA, NATURITA, PARADOX AND RICO, WHICH ARE RURAL, ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS IMPACTED BY THE BOOM AND BUST CYCLES OF RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. POVERTY RATES IN THESE TOWNS ARE HIGHER THAN BOTH STATE AND NATIONAL RATES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE MINIMAL.