As the holiday season approaches, we want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible year we've shared and the profound impact we've made together. 

On behalf of everyone at Denver Indian Health and Family Services, we extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones during this special time. 

We understand that providing healthcare to our community is a complex and challenging journey. We truly care about addressing the needs of our patients, whom we lovingly refer to as relatives. Our commitment to continually improving our services and planning for our future reflects our deep dedication to you. This year, we were able to secure the future home of DIHFS at 901 Navajo, a step that represents our ongoing commitment to serving our community.

During the holidays, we are reminded of the importance of kindness, compassion, and the connections we share. As we gather with family and friends, let us also remember and reach out to those who may be struggling or in need. Together, we can lift each other up and create a supportive community. 

Thank you for being such an important part of our journey. We wish you a holiday season filled with peace, love, and happiness, and we look forward to facing the challenges and successes of the upcoming year together. 

Happy Holidays,

Adrianne Maddux 
​Executive Director

November is Native American Heritage Month, and as we reflect on our culture, we also look to the future and how we can continue to make a difference in our community. In partnership with Mercy Housing, Native American Housing Circle, and Wellpower, we are developing affordable and supportive housing co-located with a health clinic at 901 Navajo Street in Denver. It will be the first housing development in the Denver metro area focused on serving our Native community. Our clinic will occupy 18,000 square feet, and we will have case management to assist with housing for the development.

On Friday, November 22, 2024, we were deeply honored to participate in a significant land blessing ceremony. This sacred event, steeped in our cultural traditions, demonstrated our profound respect and appreciation for the land on which our future clinic and community will stand. We sought blessings of abundance and protection, reinforcing our commitment to the well-being of our future home. 

As we look ahead to the future of 901 Navajo, this marks a significant and unique opportunity to enhance the healthcare of our people. Never have our local Native organizations, or even our local government, come together with such a shared commitment to provide this vital service for our community in the Denver area. This is a testament to the value and importance we place on each and every member of our community. 

We are excited to share that we are on track to close on the property in early December, marking a significant milestone in our journey. With construction expected to be completed in late 2026, we are eagerly anticipating the transformation of 901 Navajo into a vibrant hub for our community. We're excited to invite you to support our $10 million capital campaign for 901 Navajo! Please share this opportunity with your friends and family. Donations can be made through Colorado Gives, and until December 10th, every contribution will be boosted by a $1 million incentive fund, giving us a chance to win over $100,000 in prizes for DIHFS. Donations can be made any time after this, but this is a great time to maximize your impact! 

As November comes to a close, we are committed to our mission and supporting our community. Your support truly makes a difference! Wishing you and your families all the best! 

DIHFS was spotlighted in the October 2022 issue of 'NAVIGATOR' The Quarterly Newsletter from Colorado Access. The issue discussed Indigenous Peoples Day 2022 and what role DIHFS plays in the AI/AN community. Read below for the excerpt. 
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​In October in the United States, we celebrate Indigenous People's Day, a holiday only formally recognized in 2021. According to the White House website, it’s a day to honor "America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today." But it’s probably not completely out of line to say that our country’s indigenous population has had a history of being overlooked. It drives home the importance of recognizing this community and making sure it receives the right resources and care. It’s a need that was recognized by AccessCare (a subsidiary of Colorado Access) when they teamed up with Denver Indian Health and Family Services (DIHFS).

DIHFS, which has been around since 1978, is a health program that provides services to the American Indian/Alaska Native community in the Denver area. Many of the people seeking services through DIHFS live in a more urban setting, meaning they have left the more rural setting that their parents, grandparents, or ancestors traditionally lived in. At times, this can mean building a new community in their urban setting and DIHFS can help them do this. It provides them with a place to seek that community and accommodations they may be looking for to help them become established in their surroundings and seek services such as behavioral health. It also provides them with a walk-in clinic setting where they can see people who look like them and where they know important spiritual and cultural aspects will be upheld. 

In President Biden’s 2021 proclamation declaring Indigenous People’s Day a U.S. holiday, he acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances that the Native American population has endured in our country, "For generations, Federal policies systematically sought to assimilate and displace Native people and eradicate Native cultures," President Biden wrote. "Today, we recognize Indigenous peoples’ resilience and strength as well as the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society.  We also recommit to supporting a new, brighter future of promise and equity for Tribal Nations — a future grounded in Tribal sovereignty and respect for the human rights of Indigenous people in the Americas and around the world. "

Lefthand explains that the community sometimes experiences behavioral health issues due to historical trauma. This community has faced a history of relocations, services that eventually lapse, substance use issues, and violence. Having consistent services is important, such as the services received through AccessCare.

"It is truly a pleasure to work with DIHFS, they are a highly collaborative partner that has grown and evolved with us through the VCCI Program these past five years, and their outstanding staff shares our commitment to increasing access to care and prioritizing the needs, care and safety, of our shared patients," says George Roupas, director of telehealth for AccessCare.

But Lefthand wants to note that even though partnerships, services, and care are very important, the community itself deserves a lot of recognition for how they handle and overcome challenges. "Even though I’m very cognizant, and I think people should be cognizant of the experience of urban Indians, I think we can look at the social ails that urban Indians struggle with, but we also have to take into account the incredible resilience of urban Indigenous communities as well," Lefthand reminds us. "DIHFS is the only urban Indian organization in the entire state of Colorado providing services alongside with only, I believe, maybe two other tribal health facilities. Indigenous people make it work wherever they are, they make it work."

Colorado Access knows that its work would not be possible without the partnerships it maintains with more than 10,000 providers. And the organization is always looking for new partners and ways to build existing partnerships. If you have a story about a Colorado Access partnership to share with us, please email us at [email protected].

On August 2nd, 2022, Denver Indian Health and Family Services, an urban Indian organization, participated in a Talking Circle with US Census Bureau leadership and staff held at the Denver Indian Center. DIHFS was one of several Colorado Tribal partners who welcomed the 26th Director of the US Census Bureau, Robert Santos, to Denver and introduced him to the vast number of tribal organizations in the region. Some organizations in attendance included the American Indian Science & Engineering Society, Haseya Advocate Program, Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs, American Indian Academy of Denver, and the American Indian College Fund.  Attendees actively participated in the talking circle with Director Santos and he shared his goal and commitment to strengthen his relationship and partnership with tribal organizations like DIHFS.  Click here to see how the AI/AN population has grown in CO. 

Dr. Morgan Medlock has been announced as Colorado's First Behavioral Health Commissioner and DIHFS had the absolute pleasure of meeting with her on Monday February 28th. Discussions focused on how work through the Advisory Council can build upon behavioral health equity, workforce training, and community empowerment. See more from Dr. Medlock as she shares on her statewide tour here. 

To learn more about Dr. Medlock please visit the Governor's press release here.