Health Care Access

Jefferson County Public Health encourages all individuals and families to get health insurance. The Affordable Care Act benefits all families by providing a medical home and regular health care visits. Shop for and compare health insurance plans online with Connect for Health Colorado. 

If you are interested in applying for adult only Medicaid, please call the Jefferson County Human Services Department at 303-271-1388. Check out this site for information on how to get your family covered with Medicaid:  https://www.colorado.gov/hcpf/how-to-apply 

If you have children and have applied for Medicaid but have been denied, you may be eligible for Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). CHP+ can help you get medical care for children ages 18 years and under. There is a small annual fee and co-pays are based on factors such as income and family size. Please call 1-800-359-1991 for more information.

If you are already on Medicaid but need help finding medical, dental, vision or mental health care, contact the Jefferson County Public Health Healthy Communities Program at 303-239-7041. They can help you with available resources.

For more information:

Apply for food, medical and cash assistance programs at Colorado PEAK! or call Human Services at 303-271-1388.

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing administers the Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus programs.

“Breastfeeding Support . . . The First Six Weeks”

A special class for new moms offered by Jefferson County Public Health

Jefferson County Public Health and the rest of the public health and healthcare world want moms to breastfeed because of the health benefits of breastfeeding. The JCPH WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program offers "Breastfeeding Support . . . The First 6 Weeks" at its Arvada, Edgewater and Lakewood locations. All new moms are invited to come and bring their babies. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant will provide breastfeeding help and support as well as answers to any questions about breastfeeding.

Making the decision to breastfeed is one of the best things a mother can do for her baby. Not only does breast milk provide essential vitamins and nutrients, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it reduces an infant's risk of childhood obesity, diabetes, ear infections and respiratory illnesses. Breastfeeding also reduces the odds of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome by as much as 36%. Studies show that getting early breastfeeding support helps moms reach their breastfeeding goals. Breastfeeding can also help financially. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that Mom's who breastfeed for the first full year of an infant's life can save between $1,200 and $1,500 on infant formula.

Get help with Breastfeeding at Jefferson County Public Health.

"Breastfeeding Support . . . The First Six Weeks" is a one time class free to all WIC families and only $3.00 for those not enrolled in WIC. Come and learn why positioning and latch are important, how to know what your baby needs, why sleep is so important and other important information to help you breastfeed successfully.

For a class schedule, please contact the Breastfeeding Support coordinator, Cindy Kisselman, BSN, RN, IBCLC at ckisselm@jeffco.us or text Cindy at 720-257-4885. For locations of the Jefferson County WIC offices, see below:

• Arvada, 6303 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada, CO 80003
• Edgewater, 1711 Sheridan Blvd. Edgewater, CO 80214
• Lakewood 645 Parfet St. Lakewood, CO 80215

Resources:

• CDC Guide to Support Breastfeeding
• Surgeon general's call to action to support breastfeeding
• JCPH Breastfeeding education and support web page

Health is so much more than healthcare . . . Community Health Improvement Plan update

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is excited to have submitted its preliminary community health improvement plan to the State Board of Health and to make it available to the residents and visitors of Jefferson County. The preliminary plan meets the requirements of Senate Bill 194, the Colorado Public Health Reauthorization Act, which directs all local health departments in Colorado to develop a health improvement plan every five years.

For JCPH, the completion of the preliminary community health improvement plan is also the beginning of a multi-year action plan to increase access to healthy food and physical activity while also reducing psychosocial stressors in our county. We know our goal and our target audience (lov-income children ages 0-18), now we hope to involve as many residents and stakeholders as possible to agree upon best strategies and implementation. Receive updates and quarterly meeting requests by contacting Erika Jermé at ejerme@jeffco.us or 303-271-5737.

For more information, visit www.healthypeoplehealthyplacesjeffco.com