Roaring Fork Valley health service faces substantial federal funding cuts starting July 1

Community Health Services, the nonprofit clinic serving underprivileged populations in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, is facing a major financial shortfall beginning July 1 due to the loss of two critical federal grants. 

The cuts, totaling $112,000 annually, strike at the heart of the organization’s core services and place its future in jeopardy.

Dr. Kimberly Levin, board president of CHS, said the organization must now pivot toward individual fundraising to survive.

“CHS has been providing critical services for the uninsured and underserved in the community for the past 50 years,” Levin said. “We are almost 80% grant dependent, from federal, state, and local sources. What is happening on July 1, besides the Medicaid cuts that will be detrimental to many whom we serve, are two huge federal grant cuts.”

Those two grants include Title X, a federal family planning program, and the Colorado Women’s Wellness Connection, which is funded through the CDC. 

CHS is the only nonprofit in the upper Roaring Fork Valley that receives Title X funding that supports access to contraception, STI screenings, and reproductive health services for low-income residents.

“Family planning is a vital service for the underinsured and underserved in our community, which we all know are those who provide the backbone services in our community,” Levin said.

The Women’s Wellness Connection provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured or underinsured women, services such as Pap tests, pelvic and breast exams, HPV testing, and referrals for follow-up care. Losing both programs could lead to delayed diagnoses, reduced access to birth control, and fewer health screenings for thousands of local residents.

“For our budget, that is significant,” Levin said. “We are kind of in a crisis and concerned about how we are going to continue providing these services that we have been providing for the past 50 years.”

The potential fallout extends even further. 

CHS operates a traveling immunization program, offering no-cost or low-cost vaccines to children and adults regardless of insurance status. That program, funded through the CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) initiative, may also face reductions. 

Levin warned that if VFC funding is cut, many local families could lose access to the routine vaccinations required for school entry and public health.

“Another really important thing that CHS provides is the traveling immunization program, which not a lot of people know we provide,” she said. “That helps provide a little extra income for CHS. It’s called the Vaccine for Children, which is funded through the CDC, and there is a lot of chatter going on about how that may be cut, as well.”

These programs form the backbone of preventive care for the valley’s most vulnerable residents: low-wage workers, the uninsured, and those living in rural isolation. Without them, the public health consequences could be far-reaching.

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Seeking help

CHS is now launching a campaign to seek public support through private donations and local partnerships. The shift represents a major change for the organization, which has traditionally relied on institutional support from federal, state, and local agencies.

City and county officials have expressed concern and signaled a willingness to help but acknowledged that public funds alone won’t be enough.

“Aspen and Pitkin County should try to step in to do what we can, so these programs are not left by the wayside,” said Aspen City Council member John Doyle, who previously served on the County Board of Health.

Sam Rose, another Aspen council member who currently serves on the Board of Health, echoed that sentiment. 

“We hope to fill the funding gap because these services are vital to our community,” he said. “One way or another, I hope we can find a way to continue these vital services.”

Pitkin County Commissioner Greg Poschman said the county recognizes the importance of CHS’ role and is reviewing options to help, but he emphasized that government funding alone won’t be sufficient.

“It’s not a surprise to us to see all these essential services coming to us to try to backfill the lost grants,” Poschman said. “Our focus is on trying to take care of essential human services and safety, so of course, this is a priority for us to help. We also realize that we cannot backfill everything, and these cuts are going to be felt throughout the community and by the community across the board.”

He said public engagement and philanthropy will be essential going forward.

As CHS prepares for a period of transition, its staff and leadership remain focused on keeping services available to those who need them most. But with its funding base eroding, the future of preventive health care for the valley’s underserved now depends on support from the broader community.

To donate, visit aspencommunityhealth.org.