Economic Impact Release

Report Finds Stout Street Health Center Contributes $50.5 Million to Colorado Economy

According to new economic impact study, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’ Stout Street Health Center generates more than 450 jobs in Colorado communities. 

DENVER, CO, June 15, 2016— The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’ Stout Street Health Center contributes $50.5 million in economic activity to the state according to a report released recently by the Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN). The report also highlights the fact that the 20 Community Health Centers across the state contribute a combined total of $782 million in economic activity. Analysis from the report indicates that the Stout Street Health Center produced $27.7 million in operating expenditures in local economies and an additional $22.7 million in economic activity in 2014. In addition, Stout Street Health Center contributed approximately $6.3 million in tax revenue and generated 451 jobs in Colorado communities. 



Community Health Centers (CHCs) provide a health care home for 650,000 Coloradoans in 61 of the state’s 64 counties. More than one in eight people in Colorado rely on a Community Health Center for primary care, behavioral care, and oral health. The Stout Street Health Center is providing high quality, patient-centered care to Colorado’s most vulnerable families and individuals—93 percent of patients have an annual household income at 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level or less, and most patients are currently experiencing or have recently experienced homelessness. 



In addition to direct economic impact, CHCs reduce the overall cost of health care. Studies show that Colorado Medicaid clients who use CHCs are one-third less likely to have an emergency room visit, an inpatient hospitalization, or a preventable hospital admission. And despite serving a high percentage of low-income patients with complex medical needs, CHCs demonstrate equal or better outcomes compared to other healthcare providers. The Stout Street Health Center served 13,231 patients in 2014—58 percent of which were enrolled in Medicaid—with an estimated total savings as $16.7 million.



“Providing housing and healthcare to people experiencing homelessness is both challenging and rewarding,” said John Parvensky, President and CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “We are proud to see that not only have we been able to move thousands of people off the street and into stable housing and provide them with the healthcare they need, but our work has also had a positive economic impact on the greater community.”



The study looked at the direct, indirect and induced economic impact that the state’s Community Health Centers provide. For example, direct impact would include money spent on salaries or office furniture. Indirect impact would include vendors and support services that do business with CHCs. And induced impact would include money that employees spend on purchases in their communities. The economic impact study was conducted by the nonprofit consultancy Capital Link. 



The complete report is available on the CCHN website here: http://cchn.org/publications/. The report highlighting Stout Street Health Center is available on the Coalition’s website here:

http://www.coloradocoalition.org/ColoradoCoalitionfortheHomelessEIA2014.pdf

 

About the Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN)

The Colorado Community Health Network is the unified voice for Colorado’s 20 Community Health Centers (CHCs) and their patients. CHCs provide a health care home for more than 650,000 of their community members – more than one in eight people in Colorado - from 61 of the state’s 64 counties. Without CHCs, hundreds of thousands of Colorado’s low-income families and individuals would have no regular source of health care. CCHN’s mission is to increase access to high quality health care for people in need in Colorado. For more information about CCHN, please visit www.cchn.org.

About Colorado Coalition for the Homeless

The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being and stability of those it serves. Since its founding more than 30 years ago, the organization has earned state and national recognition for its integrated healthcare, housing and service programs. The Coalition’s comprehensive approach addresses the causes of homelessness, as well as the consequences, offering critical assistance to over 15,000 individuals and families each year. Learn more at www.coloradocoalition.org. 

 

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