Health Solutions Rises to Pandemic Challenge
Health care provider learned that the best way to support its clients was by taking care of its employees.
Sponsored by: Health Solutions
Within three days after the pandemic hit in 2020, Health Solutions found a way to do the impossible: shift its 100% face-to-face services to 100% telehealth.
“Health Solutions, a comprehensive medical and behavioral health care provider, is committed to providing exceptional services that sets the standard for health care in Colorado,” says Jason Chippeaux, president and CEO. “This care is provided through excellence, innovation, compassion and promotion of self-determination. We have committed ourselves to provide the necessary equipment to our clients to ensure little to no interruption in their care.”
Serving southern Colorado for over 60 years, Health Solutions is recognized as one of the largest health care providers in southern Colorado, employing more than 400 professionals. Services include intense outpatient services for all ages, crisis services, medication assisted recovery and the newly created Rise to Success Learning Pod.
In response to employee child care needs for Health Solutions employees during the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, Health Solutions launched the Rise to Success program.
“This program provided a safe learning space for our employees’ children and provided a means to retain the needed workforce to provide uninterrupted services,” says Heather Hankins, chief behavioral health officer.
The Rise to Success program became necessary when local schools closed and transitioned to remote learning. Employee families were faced with the dilemma of how to care for their children, support their education from home and maintain their employment.
Health Solutions found that the shutdown affected approximately 40 staff members needing to take leave to provide care for more than 70 children. The impact of this number of staff members taking leave would have halted Health Solutions’ ability to provide health care to an average of 1,000 clients per week.
The Health Solutions executive team agreed to fund a group of professionals to provide supervised academic lessons, tutoring, physical and social activities, and light food for employees’ children. Health Solutions offered this benefit at no cost to employees.
The organization is in the process of expanding the program to help address the community’s need for child care and therapeutic preschools.
“We pride ourselves in not only meeting the needs of our clients, but also meeting the needs of our employees,” Chippeaux says. “Our employees are our greatest asset.”
For more information about careers with Health Solutions, visit health.solutions/careers.