I manage contracts to Local Public Health Agencies across Colorado to help align the Maternal and Child Health Priorities at the state and local level and provide oversight to the use of federal MCH dollars. I love understanding the work going on across the state in the field of MCH, learning from local agencies who are often innovating in interesting ways, and serving as a thought partner to the strategic anchors of community inclusion, racial equity and moving upstream to systems work.

For 6 years I served as a quality Improvement and Health Systems specialist in the Oral Health unit, implementing the Cavity Free at Three program, to integrate oral health into primary care settings.

• Coordinate Counseling, Testing and Referral (CTR) Services for clients at risk of HIV and STIs.• Report monthly on contract deliverables including running reports online database EvaluationWeb, special project reports and cumulative annual report. • Plan and implement PDSA quality improvement projects• Supervision of CTR staff, including timesheets, bi-weekly check-ins, professional development• Work with community stakeholders, attend state-level coalition meetings for feedback and planning.• Social media and other marketing efforts

Mothers Milk is a pilot study funded by the AHRQ and implemented by the mHealth Impact Lab at the University of Colorado Denver. The goal of the study is to test best practices for text message and social media outreach and support in order to encourage new mothers to breastfeed exclusively.

I provide physical and emotional support during a woman's labor using various techniques. Additionally I aid in Spanish-English translation and explanation of medical procedures. I empower patients to understand the process of labor and the options available to them, and provide support for family members. I also assist with breastfeeding with newborn infant, including teaching how to use a breast pump. I have supported in many different medical situations, including fetal loss. Some techniques I provide for pain control during labor include massage, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, visualization, and push labor coaching.

I specialized in the government health insurance programs such as Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus available to low-income kids, families and pregnant women. I problem-solved difficult cases working within the Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS), provided direct customer service to clients, and offered policy and technical support to other medical assistance sites, healthcare providers, and community partners. Healthy Kids seeks to increase enrollment through in-reach and outreach efforts, training Community-Based-Organizations to do application assistance. Additionally, my position has given me the opportunity to become a voice in the wider discussion around healthcare. Policy groups like Covering Kids and Families create forums where they bring together a range of community partners to discuss best practices and system improvements to advise the Department of Health Care Policy and Finance.

Clinica Family Health Services in Colorado is a Federally accredited Community Health Center that provides primary care to low-income and noninsured individuals. As a bilingual case manager I taught groups and individuals in a range of patient-centered health education counseling, including topics such as pregnancy, diabetes, stress, smoking cessation, nutrition and mental health. Clinica is nationally recognized for its implementation of the integrated care model: the idea of providing multiple services under one roof to increase access to care, and acknowledging that behavioral and mental health issues are undeniably linked to physical and overall health. I worked on the behavioral health team, collaborating with a nutritionist, a social worker, and a consulting psychiatrist, to address the emotional undertones that accompany illness, poverty, cultural isolation, and a myriad of other issues. I discovered not only does Clinica provide invaluable services to disenfranchised populations that are largely shut out from the private healthcare system, but they are also at the forefront of innovative strategies around taking care of people who come to see the doctor. Clinica was one of the first to implement and effectively use the electronic health record system, utilize registries to pro-actively manage diabetic populations, integrate the centering group models, offer chronic disease self-management courses and allow a patient to see a therapist, case manager or registered dietitian during the same appointment they had with their primary care provider. As the national discussions ensue about reforming our healthcare system I was inspired to see that the public health system has some valuable lessons to share.