Parking this great blog experiment to get on with our work

Ruth Pederson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:50:34 +0000

Publishing this MergingCAPs blog has been a fascinating experiment. Since it was imagined and published only a few short months ago, the leaderships of the new, statewide Colorado AIDS Project really believes it has done what we imagined. That is to invite our staffs, boards, high-level volunteers, donors, friends, and other supporters into a frank conversation about why the merger of four of Colorado’s regional ASOs is exactly the right thing at the right time. We wanted to be candid, straightforward and transparent about the merger, what it means, and why it matters. And we think we’ve achieved that.

Now, we’re made the determination that it’s time to move this blog into park. We’re not taking it down entirely – we’re keeping it live for a while, because there’s some great stuff on here. We think it will remain a fantastic reference for the merger for quite some time.

And we are certainly not stopping the conversation about how the merger prepares us to engage the ever-evolving HIV/AIDS epidemic in Colorado. In fact, that conversation has just started. Which brings me to the point of this post. Now, as our mission instructs us, we’ve got work to do, work that is as urgent as ever. It’s time for us to get on with serving those living with and at risk of HIV/AIDS in our state.

Thank you to all of this blog’s readers for your attention and expressions of support during this important organizational change. It has only increased our confidence that we’ve made the right move.

All our best. -Ruth

POZ Magazine runs story on merger

mergingCAPs blog administrator — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:36:51 +0000

POZ Magazine re-ran the Denver Post story on the merger. The link to the POZ Magazine article is here. Good stuff.

Merger makes news in the Grand Junction Free Press

mergingCAPs blog administrator — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:20:31 +0000

Great story about the merger in the Grand Junction Free Press! Check it out.

Work of the CEO-search committee begins, and what happens in the meantime

Ruth Pederson — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:24:34 +0000

The search committee to find a new CEO for the new, statewide Colorado AIDS Project is up and running. The committee is comprised of:

Christy Bush, Chair (NCAP)
Jeff Basinger, Regional Director (NCAP)
Mike Guthrie (WestCAP)
Mary Beth Luedtke, Regional Director (WestCAP)
Bill Mead (S-CAP)
Richard Blair, Regional Director (S-CAP)
Richard Corbetta (DCAP)
Robert George, Regional Director (DCAP)
Ruth Pederson, Interim CEO (CAP)

The hope is to refine the requirements and post a job description in January of 2012, with the goal of having a new CEO on board by July 2012. The new CEO will undoubtedly need some time to learn the ropes. Then he or she will hire a chief financial officer. The likely next hire will be a permanent chief development officer, then ultimately a chief program officer.

The four regional directors – Jeff Basinger of NCAP, Richard Blair of S-CAP, Mary Beth Luedtke of WestCAP, and Robert George of what is now DenverCAP – will ultimately report to that chief program officer. Until then, they – along with interim chief development officer Tim Schuetz – will report to the CEO. I will continue to occupy that CEO spot as an interim until the new CEO is hired next summer.

Another great news story on the merger

mergingCAPs blog administrator — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:37:09 +0000

Great article on the merger in The Coloradoan coming out of Fort Collins today. Give it a look!

HIV/AIDS remain a very real threat in Colorado, and we are responding

jeffreybasinger — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:28:35 +0000

The new, statewide Colorado AIDS Project has the same aim as NCAP and all the other regional CAPs have had for years: equal access to culturally competent, high-quality primary and specialty medical care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). And we want those who are at risk of the disease to have access to accurate information to prevent the disease’s spread.

We believe the new statewide entity is ideally situated to achieve these aims, with four regional offices and additional testing locations throughout the state. As our business plan lays out, we’re moving to a place where we can enhance capacity, increase efficiency, and generate economies of scale. We can bring a measure of standardization and the incorporation of best practices into service delivery across the state. And we can provide a united voice for responding to changing political climates and their resultant funding realities.

All of this matters now more than ever, because the political climate and funding realities really are changing, as is the nature of the pandemic right here at home. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) estimates that as of 2008, there are more than 10,000 PLWHA in Colorado. As many as 25% of the PLWHA in Colorado may be unaware of their status and thus not included in that 10,000 number. CDPHE estimates a 15% increase in infection rates in Colorado in the last five years. In 2006, it estimated 322 new cases of HIV in Colorado, but cautioned that the estimate may be low by as much as 40%.

All of this is a way of saying that although the collective focus of people in the U.S. has drifted from HIV/AIDS, the disease has not gone away. The threat is ever present and very real. The new, statewide Colorado AIDS Project – and indeed all Coloradans – have much yet to do in the ongoing fight.

Merger makes the Denver Post

mergingCAPs blog administrator — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:24:03 +0000

There’s a great article in the Denver Post this morning about the merger. Great quote from the piece: ”Before, we all spoke independently, but now, we will have a unified front,” said Ruth Pederson, executive director of the Denver metro-area Colorado AIDS Project (CAP), who is the interim chief executive of the merged organization.

The healthcare challenge for people living with HIV/AIDS in Colorado

Mary Beth Luedtke — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:31:12 +0000

One of the reasons that the work of the new, statewide Colorado AIDS Project and its regional CAPs is so critical is that access to quality healthcare in Colorado is a tremendous challenge. According to the Department of Regulatory Agencies 2009 Health Insurance Report, 16.2% of Coloradans – which is 790K people – were uninsured in 2008. Another 20.6% of Colorado residents receive their healthcare through government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid or the Veterans Administration.

Meanwhile, 51 of the state’s 64 counties are officially designated “Health Professional Shortage Areas.” The Colorado Health Institute projects that by 2025, Colorado will need an additional 2,200 primary care providers beyond the anticipated supply. On the Western Slope of Colorado, locating a primary care doctor who will accept new patients is nearly impossible.

For people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), access to specialty care – specifically infectious disease experts with experience in treating HIV/AIDS – is one of the most critical factors for being able to live comfortably and productively. And remember that many PLWHA are members of otherwise underserved communities. While the Denver metro area has many specialty providers who accept Medicaid, there are no such options in the northern region of the state and limited options in the southern and western regions.

These facts create an unfortunate vacuum for PLWHA, a vacuum that the new, statewide Colorado AIDS Project will fill by doing what we’ve been doing for years, just on a grander scale and in a more coordinated fashion. We will provide equal access to high-quality, sensitive primary and specialty care for PLWHA, as best as we possibly can. And put those who are at risk of the disease in touch with culturally competent, accurate information, so we can curb new infections.

Merger makes news in the Colorado Springs Gazette

mergingCAPs blog administrator — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:46:47 +0000

Did you see the great article in the Colorado Springs Gazette about the merger? Check it out.

Merger will mean increased voice, increased ability to respond

timschuetz — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:14:29 +0000

Colorado has a history of being proactive in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. CAP, NCAP, S-CAP, and WestCAP have consciously decided to merge as a way of improving services rather than reacting to federal and state mandates and future changes in funding.

The key to successful integration between multiple organizations is the desire to move beyond where they stand now and together move forward to create a truly new organization responding to needs being driven by today’s climate. The degree of success achieved historically has depended on how well the organization is equipped to deal with and capitalize on the powerful and widespread change needed to elevate the organization.

This merger will increase our voice. The hope is that national funders, lawmakers, individuals will hear our voice and respond. Their response will have a large impact on individuals living with, or at risk of, HIV in the state of Colorado. Through increased efficiencies and funding, together the new statewide Colorado AIDS Project will be able to respond more efficiently than at any point in our histories.

CAP will be the largest provider of HIV/AIDS case management, prevention and advocacy services in the state of Colorado. It’s a very exciting time here at CAP and we hope that you join with us in taking part in this historic occasion.