Supporting rural Colorado families with developmental disabilities

Todd Lessley, Vice President of Clinical Services, Rocky Mountain Health Plans

Laura Ramos, Care Management Case Manager, Rocky Mountain Health Plans

At Rocky Mountain Health Plans (RMHP), a UnitedHealthcare company, we believe meaningful change starts with listening. Last year, our team attended a community meeting in Glenwood Springs hosted by Pueblo Azul, a parent-led, Spanish-language peer support and advocacy group. Families shared their struggles navigating a complex health care system, particularly in accessing timely evaluations and services for children with developmental disabilities.

The message was clear: families in rural western Colorado, especially those in Spanish-speaking communities, face unique challenges in accessing health care. Long travel distances, limited provider availability, extended wait times and language barriers all contribute to delays in diagnosis and treatment. These delays can affect a child’s long-term development, quality of life and family well-being.¹

Closing gaps in diagnostic evaluations

In response, we collaborated with local organizations to address these challenges. Together with Pueblo Azul, Oliver Behavioral Consultants (OBC), a mobile provider offering diagnostic and therapy services to rural families, and MAS Color, a nonprofit that helps Spanish-speaking families access disability-related services and resources, we launched weekly planning meetings to better understand the needs of the Roaring Fork Valley and surrounding counties.

We learned that families were waiting six months to a year for diagnostic evaluations, often traveling two to three hours to reach providers. Language barriers, limited transportation, and provider shortages compounded these challenges. To help, we connected families to mobile services and care coordination, reducing wait times and addressing transportation barriers. This has eased the financial and emotional strain on families, ensuring consistent access to necessary care.

Empowering a family with complex medical needs

Through our collaboration with Pueblo Azul, an RMHP care coordinator was introduced to a mother caring for two non-verbal children who have multiple complex health conditions. The family required frequent visits to specialists at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, a three-hour drive. Our RMHP care coordinator stepped in to help the family secure consistent, wheelchair-accessible transportation to their appointments. This support has reduced financial strain and ensured the children receive timely medical care. Today, the family continues to receive ongoing support from RMHP’s care coordination team, helping them build a more stable, supported future.

Meeting needs for a family in crisis

RMHP also supported a mother and her five-year-old child, who were living in a domestic violence shelter, as part of this collaboration. The child, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, was not receiving appropriate medical care. An RMHP care coordinator completed a comprehensive needs assessment and connected the family to essential services. The RMHP coordinator facilitated referrals for a wheelchair and applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, and helped the family navigate the process of securing the support they need for a safer future.

RMHP is honored to serve as a bridge between families, providers, and community organizations. By fostering relationships, we’re improving and streamlining appropriate access to supports and services to ensure families in Colorado receive the care they need to promote a healthier future.

Learn more about how we’re working to improve the lives of Coloradans by visiting UHCCS.com/CO.

Enjoy this article? Get future Community & State insights delivered right to your inbox.