During its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 20, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously approved the additional public health programming and personnel in order to provide basic primary care, women’s health and reproductive services through the Archuleta County Public Health Department.
Public Health Director Ashley Wilson initially presented the matter to the Board of Health (BoH) on May 8, with the BoH approving the request by vote of 3-1 with Commissioner Veronica Medina opposing the motion. Medina and Commissioner Warren Brown both sit on the BoH.
During the BoH meeting, after Wilson’s presentation on the request, Medina explained that she is concerned about the county’s budget and what impacts of approving an additional position would have.
Medina also explained that what Wilson was presenting “sounds like a really great program” that could help a potentially underserved population in the community.
“I need to look at it more,” Medina said.
Wilson explained that the health department had applied for a grant from Caring for Colorado to fully fund the program for 18 months, but was denied due to not having the program already in place, and instead was offered $30,000 in a grant to help start the program.
Wilson also mentioned that based on data from a community health survey distributed by Healthy Archuleta, there was a need expressed by the community for a bilingual basic care provider, as well as a need for access to women’s health.
Wilson noted that if the county were to move forward with the program, services would be offered to uninsured persons as the county can not bill insurance at this time.
Wilson also clarified that the program would not offer prenatal care, but would offer services including pap smears, birth control and family planning.
The request is for one part-time employee for no more than 15 hours per week, Wilson explained, noting that the nurse practitioner would likely be in the office on Fridays and for half a day on Saturdays. The position would not be eligible for county benefits.
Wilson then explained that the nurse practitioner hired as part of this program could perform physicals and drug tests needed for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) verification.
She noted this would be one way the program could help save the county money and recuperate costs, noting the county currently has to send its employees to Durango for those services.
“Theres no one else in Pagosa that does them,” she said, noting those services could be offered to the public, as well.
Wilson noted that the county pays $125 for CDOT physicals and an average of three hours of staff time, explaining that, if this program is approved, costs would come down to one hour of the nurse practitioner’s time at roughly $70 per hour.
During the BoH meeting, Brown asked if the difference in budgeting cycles and when these funds are available is why the county could not consider this a part of its 2026 budget process.
Wilson explained that the options for health department funding come in at different times, noting the program would need to start by January 2026.
Medina asked if the same women’s health services are provided through Aspire, to which Wilson indicated they are not.
“I don’t think it hurts to move forward,” Brown stated, explaining there seems to be more to gain than there is to lose with this program.
During the May 20 BoCC meeting, Medina explained that she had done some more “homework” on the topic, adding, “I think it’s a great idea. I’m not opposed.”
Brown motioned to approve the additional programming and personnel for the county’s health department, which was then unanimously approved by the BoCC.
clayton@pagosasun.com
