Colorado Springs Health Foundation Provides $99,587 Grant to Support the Community Education Center

Memorial Hospital recently launched the UCHealth Community Education Center – Colorado Springs (“Center”), a phased collaborative project designed to expand access to high-quality healthcare in the region. This collaborative effort is part of the health system’s long-term goals around population health and its efforts to create a Mobile Integrated Healthcare Practice-Community Paramedicine framework (MIHP-CP). As a Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, Memorial committed resources to achieve this unique, multi-nodal program to improve the community’s health status. Given the behavioral health crises that exist in this community, enhanced training for first responders is critical to addressing this need.

Memorial’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and its Simulation Center, a facility designed to improve clinical learning and patient care through the use of new technologies and medical scenarios, co-located staff in the old Kids Kare building near Printers Park/Pikes Peak. In Phase I, Memorial Hospital’s EMS is increasing access to healthcare by partnering with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, American Medical Response, and Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) to develop and implement an accelerated paramedic program. We will also partner with city and county first responders to provide first aid, resuscitation, disaster training, and enhanced behavioral health crisis intervention training. Additionally, Memorial has partnered with PPCC and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs to increase and enhance training for new and existing nurses to address the nursing workforce shortage. More than 50 new nurses will be trained this year as a result of the partnership with PPCC. The Center also provides opportunities to enhance our coordination and education efforts with local military and school districts across the region.

If you have any questions related to the grant from CSHF, or if you are considering a gift to the Center, please contact Amber Ptak at amber.ptak@uchealth.org or 719.365.5885.