What Public Health and Community Leaders are Saying About “Colorado’s Next Chapter: Our Roadmap to Moving Forward”

DENVER — Today, Governor Jared Polis and his administration released “Colorado’s Next Chapter: Our Roadmap to Moving Forward.” Colorado’s Roadmap forward outlines the four main steps the state will be taking to maintain a level of preparedness and agility in order to keep Coloradans safe and healthy in the event of exacerbated or new public health challenges. 

Here’s what public health and community leaders are saying about the steps outlined in Colorado’s roadmap to moving forward: 

“I have been proud to play a part in the community outreach around the pandemic. The Polis Administration has always understood the need to listen to communities and respond to their concerns, especially during the emergency. Communities of color, particularly Black Coloradans, have endured a lot over the past two years, and I am grateful that Colorado directly addressed equity and accessibility in resources,” said Hon. Elbra Wedgeworth - former State COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Team Lead and Principal, Casel & Associates, LLC. 

“The Faith Community is grateful for the way Governor Polis partnered with us to keep us informed and listen to our concerns during the pandemic. We are hopeful for what lies ahead and look forward to continuing to work with him for the good of our State. One silver lining of the pandemic is the increase in collaboration between faith leaders and government officials as we worked together to keep our communities safe during this difficult time,” said Dave Runyon - Colorado Clergy Council. 

“We are grateful to Governor Polis and his administration for their commitment to equity and accessibility as we partnered to vaccinate Latinx communities together. His leadership has enabled us to navigate a safer way out of this pandemic and we look forward to counting to work together towards a healthier future,” said Alex Sanchez - Voces Unidas de las Montañas. 

“As a nurse and frontline healthcare worker, I know first hand how much pressure has been placed upon our workforce. We need to do as much as possible to ensure we’re taking care of our healthcare workforce by developing a training pipeline and making sure we are adequately staffing our healthcare facilities,” said State Representative Kyle Mullica. 

“We welcome the Governor’s fact-based roadmap forward, which includes critical support for the healthcare workforce, specifically assuring Colorado nurses safer work environments. Investments in healthcare readiness allow the medical community to develop stronger and more resilient systems, and ensure a sustainable workforce for the future,” said Colleen Casper,  Director of Practice and Government Affairs, Colorado Nurses Association.

“The Governor’s roadmap provides a pragmatic path forward for the medical community and our state. We applaud the significant investments in healthcare workforce and expansion, and the support for healthcare readiness standards that enable us to better prepare for the future. Every step of the pandemic we have worked in collaboration with state leadership, and we look forward to continuing this partnership on the path forward, together,” said Craig Anthony, MD, FAAFP, President, Colorado Academy of Family Physicians.

“Throughout the pandemic, the Polis Administration was steadfast in its commitment to equity, making sure Latino communities had access to the vaccine and resources they needed to endure the pandemic. As we transition out of the emergency and back to a more normal existence, I am confident that the Administration will use the lessons we’ve learned to continue to dismantle structural inequities that hurt us all. We know we’re stronger as a state when nobody is left behind,” said Nita Gonzales, former State COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Team Lead and community health partner at Servicios De La Raza.

“I’m proud of how Coloradans came together during this pandemic. Thanks to the comprehensive testing and vaccination systems developed by the State, it’s time now to get back to our communities' new normal. The Governor's road map is a great way to achieve this goal as we move forward together,” said Commissioner Eva J. Henry, District 1 - Adams County.

“Colorado should be proud. We put our communities first. It was not easy. We scrambled at all levels of government and made mistakes. We lost too many, but looking back our response also saved many lives and supported our economies throughout.  I hope we can take the deep unity we had in the early days of the pandemic into building an even stronger Colorado,” said Hilary Cooper, San Miguel County Commissioner.

“This plan forward will serve all areas of Colorado well. The State’s efforts to provide testing and vaccines have been effective in allowing us to move forward to the next phase. I am excited for communities to have a path forward that looks a lot more normal,” said Barbara Bynum - City Councilor, City of Montrose.