The Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC) was excited to be a sponsor of Public Health in the Rockies 2024 (PHiR), held last week in Keystone, Colo. Fifteen PMCC staff members journeyed to the Rocky Mountains to participate and join with partners to present on topics including pediatric suicide prevention, cancer survivorship, a peer education program for incarcerated individuals, the ECHO model, and how eConsults improve health equity at federally qualified health centers.
PHiR provided opportunities for education, networking and skill development for professionals in Colorado, Wyoming and neighboring regions. It provided a forum for the more than 600 attendees from the public health sector to develop new skills, demonstrate best practices, exchange lessons learned, share current research and discover valuable resources.
PMCC representation and its impact were sprinkled throughout the conference, as many team members were directly involved with ECHO- and eConsult-related posters and presentations. But PMCC’s impact was present in other sessions and spaces, reflective of the fact that many of our partners had ECHO-related work they were proud to showcase. During their presentations, our Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) partners discussed the success of three recent ECHOs: Colorado Updates in Public Health, Syphilis in Colorado: A Call to Action, and Past the Pandemic.
âThis is a testament to the great reputation we have for working with the public health community in Colorado; it shows all of the great connections we have made over the years,â said Sue Stoveall, PMCC marketing and outreach manager.
PMCC project coordinator Ashley Clark benefited from conference networking opportunities, including a reception hosted by the Colorado School of Public Health, where she shared her business card with two other CSPH alumni who are now also working in public health. They talked and are now interested in learning more about ECHO Colorado and a potential partnership with their organizations.
âIt was great to attend the conference and see the bigger picture of the impact of our work, and to see it valued and respected by public health professionals from across the state,â said Clark.
PHiR advances the work of the Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA) to transform the health and well-being of Coloradans. CPHA provides the public health community with a forum, networks and opportunities to participate and collaborate in our core areas of work. Overall, PHiR works to build a more robust public health workforce.