To ensure all Coloradans have every opportunity to be fully vaccinated, the Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force is joining the CDC in new guidance that advises that providers should not miss any opportunity to vaccinate every eligible person who requests a COVID-19 vaccination. Click here for more information.

Colorado has opened vaccine eligibility to the general public age 12 and over. Your patients trust information coming from you, even those who are hesitant to get vaccinated. Find more information on how to answer patients’ questions at covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-faq. 

The Department needs your help ensuring your Health First Colorado patients and CHP+ patients get vaccinated. Do your part by letting them know when you have the vaccine available for them, or where they can get it if you don’t offer it. Let them know that the cost is entirely covered; they won’t be charged co-pays or for the office visit. Reassure them that it’s safe to come to your office and that there is transportation available if they need it. 

If a member requires additional support to get the vaccine, please contact the assigned Regional Accountability Entity (RAE) or Managed Care Organization (MCO). Please also encourage your staff to get their vaccines, and refer them to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment for information on vaccine safety. You can get more information on which phase your staff should be vaccinated in and where at covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine.  

Now that Colorado's vaccine supply is becoming readily available, more and more primary care physicians are beginning to administer vaccinations to their patient population. CDPHE created a communication toolkit for primary care doctors who can help encourage their patients to get vaccinated. 

Congratulations to the Diabetic Management & Outcomes Grant recipients! These five applicants were awarded funds to implement or sustain program geared toward improving the outcomes of members with diabetes in Region 2. Grants were scored based on reach, impact, feasibility, and sustainability. We are proud of the wide-reaching impact these programs can have on our region, and we look forward to hearing about their success! Click here for the list of recipients.

Visit the About the PDMP Program web page for more information about the PDMP Program.

Have questions? They are available to talk through your ideas and encourage you to connect with them before applying for funding. If you don’t already work with a program officer, please reach out by email at funding@coloradohealth.org or by phone at 303-953-3600, and be sure to note the county you work in and the focus area of interest.

Deadline for application is October 15, 2021. Here is the link to the opportunity.

The Beacon Quality team in collaboration with Medical, Clinical, Peers, Provider Relations and additional key stakeholders across the organization expanded our PCP toolkit online resource. The PCP toolkit is intended to support primary care clinicians by providing a quick guide to access behavioral health resources.  This toolkit is also beneficial for behavioral health providers and Beacon health plan partners. The toolkit is useful for managing populations with co-occurring disorders. The toolkit promotes an integrated healthcare approach encouraging whole person health by providing PCPs and other practitioners additional resources beneficial to clients, including screening tools. 

Click here to access the PCP toolkit online resource.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind national hotline to connect people with disabilities to information and services to improve access to COVID-19 vaccines. The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is now available to help people with disabilities find vaccination locations in their communities, assist callers with making vaccination appointments, and connect callers to local services – such as accessible transportation – to overcome barriers to vaccination. The hotline also can provide information and resources to answer questions and address concerns about the vaccines and can connect callers to information and services that promote independent living and address fundamental needs, such as food, housing, and transportation.

For more information, visit acl.gov/dial or call 888-677-1199.  

RAE ROUNDTABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH---2nd Fri of every month at 11am

Click here to join the webinar.

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

NHP RAE ROUNDTABLE PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL PROVIDER--3rd Wed of every month at 12pm

Please click here to join the webinar:

Or By Telephone: 1- 669-900-6833---Webinar ID: 971 5387 1547---Passcode: 869908

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

Beacon Colorado's Quality team will be hosting a documentation training for behavioral health and SUD providers.

Beacon's Colorado member engagement team would like to recognize our amazing providers that continue to provide stellar services to our community! Many of you have worked with our practice transformation team to select QI measures and goals related to preventative care. We want to come along side as a resource. Did you know that we offer live Getting Started ZOOM meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 11am that your patients and their families, or even your staff, can attend to learn about benefits and ask questions in real time?

2021 HEALTHY AGING SYMPOSIUM

This course starts September 15 and there is no fee. Click here for more information and to register.

There will be five weekly virtual sessions on Tuesdays from 12pm-1pm starting September 21. Click here for more information and to register.

This is a six week course on Thursdays from 9am - 10am starting on September 23. There is no fee. Click here for more information and to register.

From the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Interested in learning new strategies to help prevent the unhealthy consequences of substance use in at-risk youth or youth with substance use challenges who have entered treatment? Take advantage of this new virtual training for Youth Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (YSBIRT), an integrated and comprehensive public health approach to identify, reduce and prevent risky alcohol and drug use. If you are an administrator or clinician who is new to YSBIRT – or you’re looking for a refresher, this is for you!