Plan de Salud del Valle, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, also known as Salud Family Health Centers (Salud) was established in 1970 to meet the health care needs of farmworkers and their families in north central Colorado. In its 36-year history, Salud has evolved into a primary health care delivery system providing services at 14 clinics in nine communities which cover six northcentral/ northeastern counties. Salud focuses on the needs of the medically indigent, the uninsured, and the under-insured. The U.S. Public Health Service has designated Salud as a Federally Qualified Migrant and Community Health Center.
Salud's first "home" - a converted onion warehouse in Fort Lupton, Colorado.
The Salud system provides a full spectrum of high-quality, comprehensive, culturally competent, primary medical and dental care, including obstetrics and out-patient care to more than 66,000 residents and migrant and seasonal farmworkers in northcentral and northeast Colorado. Salud also operates a mobile clinic, which serves to increase access to health care by migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Salud currently provides more than 225,000 patient visits. Salud is also a significant employer in northern Colorado with nearly 400 employees.
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An analysis of the growth of Salud provides important information on the success of the system's health care delivery model as well as the growing needs of its targeted population.
Salud Family Health
Centers
Growth Since Inception
|
| 1970 - Fort Lupton | 1986 - Commerce City |
| 1978 - Frederick | 1990 - Estes Park |
| 1979 - Longmont | 1994 - Fort Morgan |
| 1979 - Mobile Unit | 2001 - Sterling |
| 1980 - Brighton | 2002 - Fort Collins |
In 1971, Salud provided services to just over 3,000 patients with 8,800 visits. By 1990, those numbers had grown to 24,250 patients and 80,000 visits. In 2003, Salud served 56,814 patients with 199,046 visits. In 2005, Salud served 65,175 patients with 277,727 visits.
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Governance
A Board of Directors, the majority of whom are Salud clients, governs the organization and provides program guidance and policy leadership according to the by-laws of the corporation. The Board consists of 11 members who are elected by consumers from the communities served by Salud. Each of the geographic areas where a Salud clinic is located has a member on the board. Two additional board seats are reserved for migrant and seasonal farmworkers during the growing season.
Management
An Executive Management Team comprised of administrative and clinical leaders provides direction and quality assurance to the organization. Salud's central administration is based in Fort Lupton.
Each clinic in the Salud system has a Center Director and Business Manager. The Center Director, a provider at the clinic, along with the Business Manager supervise the day-to-day operations of the clinic. Each site has programs that are tailored to respond to the special needs of its community.
The quality of Salud's Executive Team is an integral component of the success and stability of the Salud system. This team of professionals and clinicians provides Salud with:
- A Cohesive and Effective Management Team
- Stability and Longevity
- Clinical Expertise
- Fiscal Responsibility
- Nationally and Regionally Recognized Leaders
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JCAHO Accreditation
As evidence of its dedication to quality and to maintaining high standards of performance, Salud was one of the first community health centers in Colorado to seek and receive accreditation, with commendation, by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
JCAHO accreditation means that Salud has met the same rigorous standards for
accreditation as university hospitals, for-profit medical clinics, and other
health care institutions. Since its first JCAHO accreditation with
commendation in 1996, Salud has been re-accredited twice - in 1999, in 2002, and most
recently in October, 2005 receiving "Accreditation with Full Standards
Compliance.
National Reputation
Salud is recognized nationally as a leader in community health. Salud is one of the largest grantees from the U.S. Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) in the six-state Rocky Mountain region outside the Denver Health system. Because of its reputation as a visionary community health system, Salud is regularly called upon by national community health organizations to conduct pilot projects and participate in testing for community health programs.
Salud and its leaders have been the recipient of numerous local, regional and national awards recognizing the excellence of care demonstrated by the system.
Culturally Competent Healthcare
Beginning with its inception as a Migrant Health Center, Salud's mission has always been to provide culturally competent, affordable, comprehensive primary care to low income, minority and migrant farmworkers in its service area. Approximately 65% of Salud's clients are Latino, many of whom speak Spanish as their primary language. Salud also serves almost 4,300 migrants and seasonal farmworkers. Not only are most of Salud's front-desk and medical/dental staff bilingual, but employees receive regular training in cultural competency in order to understand the family dynamics and cultural influences on patient health. Cultural competency training is also a part of all new employee orientation. All forms and written materials for patients are available in English and Spanish. It is Salud's goal to hire culturally competent and bilingual individuals.
Community Healthcare Collaborations
Salud has a successful history of collaborating with other organizations to maximize the available resources in the health care system to collectively improve the health status of the underserved population counties and to insure that coordination and communication occurs at every level of the health care network. Salud's collaborative efforts are reflected in its numerous relationships with local health departments, local mental health agencies, community agencies, and hospitals at its service sites.
Salud has privileges at the following hospitals:
- Platte Valley Medical Center (Brighton)
- Colorado Plains Medical Center (Ft. Morgan)
- Longmont United Hospital
- University Hospital (Denver)
- Estes Park Medical Center
- The Children's Hospital (Denver)
- Sterling Regional Medical Center
- Poudre Valley Hospital (Ft. Collins)
Salud Family Health Centers is still an innovative and vibrant health care leader after 36 years. The organization has poised and prepared itself to meet the challenges and the opportunities of the new millennium. Salud has re-dedicated itself to its mission and to its philosophy. It continues to expand, to improve itself, and to maintain viability. All for the benefit of delivering the best quality health care to farmworkers, the medically underserved and to the entire communities it serves.
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