Colorado Rural Health Center Releases 2023 Snapshot of Rural Health

    AURORA, CO, March 15, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC) has released the 2023 edition of its Snapshot of Rural Health as well as the regional editions of the Snapshot. The annual publication highlights rural health data such as demographic trends, population health, education levels, substance abuse, and the economy through the use of infographic data visualization, text, and maps.

The 2023 edition of the Snapshot features expanded information on healthcare in rural Colorado, illustrated with useful statistics, data, and maps that can all be used for advocacy, education, and grant writing. This year, CRHC expanded the report to include further information on LGBTQ+ Populations, Veterans, the Housing Crisis, Telehealth, Women's Health and Access, Prescription Drugs, Mental Health, Chronic Disease, and Workforce.

Another exciting addition this year is the online "Dig Deeper" dashboard that allows users to filter data by rural and urban as well as a variety of indicators.

Colorado Rural Health Center CEO, Michelle Mills, is excited about the updated and expanded snapshot. "The Snapshot of Rural Health tells a vital story about the state of rural healthcare in Colorado. From the demographics, to access to care and health insurance coverage, to healthcare finances and administration, the Snapshot is designed to provide data driven insight in an easy to digest presentation form," explains Mills.

The Snapshot of Rural Health also includes data collected and analyzed by CRHC's Epidemiologist and the organization's Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy. A comprehensive citations page makes sourcing each fact from the 68 page report easy and convenient.

Along with the release of the full annual Snapshot Report, CRHC also released five regional Snapshots that detail the progress of different regions of the state, allowing for apples-to-apples comparisons. Regions covered in the separate reports include the Northwest, Southwest, Mountain West, San Luis Valley, and Eastern Plains.

Michelle Mills, alongside other CRHC staff, traveled to Washington DC where they met with legislators as part of the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute on February 7-9. CRHC's team met with 6 of the state's senators and representatives in Washington DC. The annual policy institute event gives Colorado-based staff an opportunity to meet with policymakers and stakeholders to discuss legislative priorities. The Snapshot of Rural Health is a vital component of these discussions.

As Colorado's State Office of Rural Health and member-based association for rural health facilities, CRHC is a clearinghouse for rural health information and resources, helping providers throughout Colorado enhance healthcare services available in rural communities, and helping elected officials make informed decisions about healthcare policy.

The Snapshot of Rural Health is available for download at https://coruralhealth.org/snapshot-of-rural-health - For additional resources, visit the CRHC resource center at http://coruralhealth.org/resources.

About The Colorado Rural Health Center
The Colorado Rural Health Center was established in 1991 as Colorado's State Office of Rural Health. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, CRHC serves dual roles as the State Office of Rural Health and the State Rural Health Association. The organization's mission is to enhance healthcare services in the state by providing information, education, linkages, tools, and energy toward addressing rural health issues. CRHC's vision is to improve healthcare services available in rural communities to ensure that all rural Coloradans have access to comprehensive, affordable, high quality healthcare. For more information visit www.coruralhealth.org, call 303-832-7493, or call toll free 800-851-6782 from rural Colorado.

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