Governor Jared Polis signed legislation into law to address health care challenges in rural Colorado by providing funding for training, recruiting, and growing the state’s health care workforce. Senator Dylan Roberts highlighted the difficulties faced by rural communities in accessing affordable health care. He emphasized the importance of supporting rural hospitals with necessary funding to ensure they can continue serving their communities effectively.
Representative Meghan Lukens emphasized the need for high-quality health care, including mental and behavioral health care, in rural and mountain communities. She stressed the significance of driving funding towards rural hospitals and expanding mental health care support for farmers and ranchers. Both Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and Representative Marc Caitlin were sponsors of the legislation, which aimed to expand the number of health care professionals practicing in rural areas.
The new law, SB24-221, builds upon previous legislation that established the Colorado Rural Health Care Workforce Initiative. It allocates additional funding for institutions of higher education to establish or expand rural health care provider training tracks. Additionally, over $1.7 million in direct assistance will be provided to rural hospitals to ensure they have the resources needed to continue offering essential health care services in their communities.