Recap: Advancing Immigrant Health Equity at the Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference

On Thursday, April 16th, Julissa Soto had the honor of presenting at the Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference in Broomfield, alongside colleague Isain Zapata.

Together, they led an impactful session titled “IHAC in Action: Improving Access and Equity for Immigrants in Rural Health Systems,” focusing on the urgent barriers immigrant and refugee communities face when seeking healthcare across rural Colorado.

Addressing Urgent Gaps in Rural Healthcare

During the session, Julissa and Dr. Zapata shared valuable qualitative and quantitative insights from the work of the Immigrant Health Access Collaborative (IHAC) and their ongoing mobile clinic efforts in communities such as Greeley and Aurora.

Their presentation highlighted the complex and often overwhelming barriers immigrants face in accessing care, including:

• Fear of deportation

• Lack of health insurance

• High healthcare costs

• Language barriers

• Limited transportation

• Delayed care until conditions become critical

These challenges often leave individuals and families with no option but to rely on already overburdened emergency systems due to systemic gaps in access and coverage.

Aurora’s Unique Challenges as a Refugee Resettlement Hub

The discussion also emphasized the unique pressures faced in Aurora, one of Colorado’s largest refugee resettlement hubs. With the recent influx of newcomers, healthcare systems are experiencing increased strain, making coordinated and equity-driven solutions more urgent than ever.

This reality underscores the importance of innovative and collaborative models like IHAC to address both immediate and long-term healthcare access needs.

Community-Centered Solutions for Health Equity

The session focused on practical strategies to improve healthcare access and outcomes for immigrant and refugee populations, including:

✔ Building trust with immigrant and refugee communities
✔ Strengthening cross-sector partnerships
✔ Integrating culturally responsive care into healthcare delivery
✔ Advancing equitable health outcomes

By centering dignity, access, and equity, IHAC continues to create a framework for sustainable, community-driven healthcare solutions.

Join the Movement

Julissa Soto and the IHAC team remain deeply committed to ensuring that all individuals—regardless of immigration status or geography—can receive the care they need.

The Immigrant Health Access Collaborative (IHAC) meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 10:00 AM, and community members, advocates, and healthcare professionals are encouraged to get involved

Thank you to everyone who attended and engaged in this important conversation. The path forward requires collaboration, courage, and a shared commitment to health equity.