SAN LUIS VALLEY — What is the role of a care coordinator?  In two words: Assist patients.  They work collaboratively with providers and clinical staff to support patients with chronic conditions and/or complex needs. They facilitate communication, coordinate services, and address barriers. They work in the ambulatory setting and are members of the provider-led interdisciplinary team.
Meet the team members at SLV Health, located in the clinic setting.
Rachel Dooley has worked with San Luis Valley Health for three and a half years. She started as a medical assistant working with Internal Medicine. She made the transition to Behavioral Health a year ago. She was born and raised in Salida and moved to the Valley about eight years ago to attend Trinidad State Junior College.
Charity Hancock has been with SLV Health for two and a half years. She worked for Conejos County Options for Long Term Care for over two years as a case manager, and prior to that she was with Mercy Hospital in OKC. She went to college at the University of Phoenix and graduated with a BS in psychology. She is heading up the Clinic Corner Committee for the Pulse.
Jordan Hensley has worked for SLV Health since the beginning of 2016 in the roles of Physician Services Admissions Representative, Behavioral Health Medical Office Assistant, OB/GYN Medical Office Assistant, and Service Learning Coordinator. Jordan is a San Luis Valley native who graduated from Sargent High School. She graduated from Adams State University with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in health care and a psychology minor.
Akacia Garcia has been with SLV Health for almost two years as an LPN. She started at the PS clinic as an LPN with Dr. Pilapitiya, where pediatrics has always been her passion. She went to school at TSJC for nursing, grew up in Sanford and graduated from Alamosa High School.
Raul Madril has been working at SLV Health since January 2018. He was a care coordinator for SLV Behavioral Health Group for 10 months. He is a Valley native and graduated from Adams State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in sociology.
Lacrecia Smith joined SLV Health a year ago, coming to this agency from San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group where she was a care coordinator for two and half years. She went to Lamar Community College and completed her bachelors in sociology with an emphasis in social work and a minor in psychology and completed her master’s in public administration, both at Adams State University.  She grew up in South Bend, Indiana before moving to Springfield, Colorado in 2003 and has been in the San Luis Valley for the last 12 years.
Valerie Atencio is new to SLV Health and previously worked for Advantage Treatment Centers; formerly San Luis Valley Community Corrections, the 12th Judicial District Probation Department as a Judicial Case Manager/Field Specialist and Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc. She is from Monte Vista and is a graduate of Adams State University and is the head coach for Monte Vista Varsity Cheer.
Hancock shared her vision in this role which pretty much sums up the team’s vision:
“To provide person-centered support to patients in being proactive in their healthcare, assisting with goal setting and improving their quality of health. Quality case management works by helping people understand what their choices are and connecting them to resources in their community in ways that respect their dignity and rights.”
Hensley added, “We aim to remove barriers to improve overall health outcomes for our patients.”