Pueblo Community Health Center outlines integrated services for agricultural workers and vulnerable populations

Julie Brake (identified in the meeting as a behavioral-health manager at the Pueblo Community Health Center) told the CSU Pueblo workgroup that the center serves about 25,000 patients across multiple sites and operates an integrated-care model combining primary care, behavioral health, and pharmacy services.

Brake described specialized services targeting migrant seasonal farmworkers, people experiencing homelessness and people living with HIV/AIDS, and said the center operates multiple clinic locations including an outreach site in the Avondale area to improve access for agricultural workers. She said the clinic provides therapy groups, medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, and social-service navigation to help patients apply for benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance.

The presenter said clinicians provide both psychotherapy and medication-based treatments and that social-services staff help connect patients to housing, benefits and other resources. The health center offers services intended to be culturally and linguistically appropriate for migrant and seasonal worker populations, including Spanish-language access and clinic locations near agricultural worksites.

Workgroup members discussed the center’s role in regional outreach and the value of integrated models for rural communities; the session concluded with requests that center materials and contact information be shared with the group for summit planning and community referrals. No formal votes or contractual actions occurred during the meeting on this topic.