New $155,000 grant awarded to BCH's Project HEALS

Project HEALS (Health Equity in Achieving Long-term Solutions) is a new program staffed by Boulder Community Health and Optum’s Case Management Team and funded by the Boulder Community Health Foundation aiming to reduce health inequities by increasing access to continuity of care services. Project HEALS will focus resources on complex case patients, including those experiencing homelessness, patients with behavioral health needs, patients living with traumatic brain injuries, patients with dementia, and patients struggling with substance use disorders.

To supplement long-term health solutions, Complex Case Managers will coordinate a range of services to assist individuals in gaining access to ongoing medical care, behavioral health treatment, linkage to supportive housing programs or long-term care facilities, and other social services essential to meeting basic human needs. Existing partnerships with ambulatory care teams will provide continuity of care to work toward meeting patients’ needs.

Madalyn Hunt, Manager of Case Management for BCH says, “This is a cutting-edge program as there are currently no services that fully meet the complex social and health-related challenges many of these patients are facing.”

Complex case patients can receive support from Project HEALS in two ways:

First, for individuals experiencing homelessness, Project HEALS will allow access to ongoing 24/7 medical care at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’ new respite care facility in Denver, after leaving BCH. With access to one bed, patients will have the opportunity to rest, recover and heal in a safe environment.

Second, for those not experiencing homelessness, but facing barriers to receiving post-acute care, Project HEALS will provide private caregivers for limited hours per day or per week for those who cannot access care in skilled environments.

Evidence shows prolonged inpatient stays increase patient risk factors for adverse health outcomes, including but not limited to pressure injuries, hospital-induced delirium, and loss of functional mobility. With support from Project HEALS, we will be better able to support complex case patients getting the right care at the right time.

All Project HEALS interventions are designed to address barriers to discharge, resulting in reduced lengths of stay. As barriers to discharge are resolved, we expect Project HEALS to lead to improved health outcomes as individuals are receiving the level of care recommended for a healthy recovery post-hospitalization.

Rob Vissers, President and CEO of BCH says, “The BCH Foundation’s Project HEALS will positively impact patient health outcomes and act as a risk-reduction strategy benefiting patient and staff safety. We are excited for the new partnerships this opportunity is providing to improve health equity in our community.”