City Council Study Session Agenda and Packet 2017 07 11

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Health &Well-being In Boulder County, we've made great strides in improving health coverage and access to healthcare. The rate of uninsured residents has dropped from 11.8% to 5.2% between 2013 and 2015, thanks to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion. With increased coverage, more families and individuals are accessing preventive care, receiving wellness exams, and getting the tools they need to prevent small health issues from becoming life-threatening. In addition, fewer families are experiencing financial crises due to an illness. However, access to healthcare (including physical, mental, behavioral, and specialty care) is still not always available, and we continue to face uncertain times in our healthcare landscape. Physician availability and low Medicaid reimbursements remain a challenge for healthcare providers, and socioeconomic barriers such as transportation, communication, and lack of after-hours care create barriers for patients. When care can be accessed, it may not always be affordable, even for the insured. In Boulder County, a strong system of health providers is in place to extend care for low-income and vulnerable residents. The Worthy Cause program has helped local healthcare nonprofits expand services through capital improvements, providing quality facilities for clients and increasing organizations' capacity to serve more patients. Ii Primary Care: When a patient has a single doctor or location designated for providing primary care, they are more likely to have regular preventive and coordinated medical care. A lack of financial resources or affordable healthcare coverage can keep individuals and families from accessing the comprehensive and preventive care they need. Both insured and uninsured Boulder County residents can access services such as prenatal care, physical exams, immunizations, cancer screenings, pharmaceutical services, mental health support, and so much more through the network of local nonprofits who support health and primary care services. Reproductive Health & Family Planning: A lack of specialized family planning services can impact a family's ability to plan for their future, and their economic outcomes. Access to reproductive health information and services, including contraception, reduces the numbers of unwanted pregnancies. Boulder County has substantially fewer teen births (ages 15-19) when compared to statewide figures, but there were still 8.8 births per 1,000 teen girls in Boulder County in 2013. Through affordable health providers, women and men can access affordable reproductive healthcare services including disease prevention, Long -Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) methods, cancer screenings, complex gynecological treatments, comprehensive sexuality education, counseling, and more. Mental Health: Mental health is an integral part of overall health and well-being. The World Health Organization defines positive mental health as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. A recent survey of Boulder County residents affirmed that many of our residents struggle with episodic and ongoing mental health or substance use issues. The survey showed that most residents (95%) report that they or someone they know has struggled with mental health or substance use issues, many reported seeing a therapist (69%) or psychiatrist (47%) for support, and others reported getting support from family (40%) or friends (40%). Accessible mental health services are important to those who experience mental health conditions, individuals in crisis situations, as well those struggling to maintain healthy mental well- being throughout life's ups and downs. 15 Boulder County l Worthy Cause 111 10