More than 86 million Americans were without health insurance at some point during 2007 or 2008, according to a recent report from consumer health advocacy group Families USA. That’s one third of the population under the age of 65 (when Americans qualify for Medicare).  Four out of five of the uninsured are part of working families, who often earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance.

Regular doctor and dentist visits—which people without insurance often don’t get—can help prevent some health problems and identify others before they become serious, particularly for children. Boys & Girls Clubs of Chaffee County is partnering with other community organizations to make sure Colorado kids get the health and dental care they need to reach their potential as productive, responsible, caring and healthy citizens.

BGC of Chaffee County and four other organizations have joined together to form Chaffee County Community Health Collaborative (CCCHC), dedicated to enrolling qualified families in Child Health Plus, a public health and dental insurance program. The Club worked with CCCHC and a social marketing professional, developing an outreach plan to recruit Family PLUS participants for insurance enrollment, as well as participation in family support programming. Families can sign up for Child Health Plus, get help with the paperwork and have their questions answered—all in a place where they feel comfortable and welcome, their local Club. Through the program, more than 60,000 children and 1,600 pregnant women, who would otherwise be uninsured, receive free or low-cost doctor visits, dental care, hospital services and prescriptions.

BGC of Chaffee County is building relationships with other organizations as well. The Family PLUS outreach coordinator has joined the local anti-drug coalition, Build a Generation, and the Chaffee County Early Childhood Council, with which the Club jointly sponsors parenting workshops. To help get the word out, a local public school district dedicates an entire page of its Web site to the Club’s Family PLUS offerings. With these powerful partnerships, BGC of Chaffee County shows that it takes a community to support a family.