The Mountain Health Collaborative (MHC) is a group of local volunteer health professionals who come together during disasters in the Peak to Peak Region of Colorado to make sure the immediate health needs of the community are met. The ongoing purpose of the MHC is to increase resiliency and accelerate the region’s post-disaster recovery rate.
MHC is organized and managed by Peak to Peak Counseling, working in conjunction with nonprofits, and town, county, state, and federal agencies.
The Peak to Peak region is designated by the Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services Alliance to include Western Boulder and Eastern Gilpin counties as well as limited sections of Larimer County and Jefferson Counties. This includes the towns of Ward, Nederland, Gold Hill, Jamestown, Rollinsville, Allenspark, and other large unincorporated areas at elevation.
In response to the 2013 Boulder Flood, Peak to Peak Counseling staff offered emotional support during and after the disaster. At that time, it became apparent that there was a real need for local health professionals to come together to support mountain residents during disasters.
A few years later, while Peak to Peak Counseling was working with the town of Nederland to create a disaster protocol, the 2016 Cold Springs Fire started.
During the disaster, Peak to Peak Counseling coordinated with the town of Nederland, local businesses and nonprofits, Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services Task Force (now Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services Alliance), Medical Reserve Corps, Red Cross, Mental Health Partners, and some other regional professionals, to create an impromptu network of local health professionals. This network of providers offered emotional, physical, and spiritual support via the Nederland Shelter/Disaster Assistance Center. Services were also made available at subsequent community meetings.
After the fire response, Peak to Peak Counseling formalized the impromptu network into the Mountain Health Collaborative. With input from all the professional partners MHC’s protocols and procedures were formalized.
Following are the requirements for membership in the Mountain Health Collaborative:
We look forward to responding to you during normal business hours Monday through Thursday. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
We look forward to responding to you during normal business hours Monday through Thursday. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
