Building Bridges Between Latina Leaders and Health Systems

With seed funding from Early Milestones Colorado and additional funding from Colorado Gives Foundation, the LatinaGives! Fund and an undisclosed private foundation, Triad Bright Futures launched the Maternal Child Health Leaders for Equity (MCHLE) program in collaboration with Cuenta Conmigo Cooperative and Jefferson County Public Health in 2024.  

This innovative pilot project pairs Latina community members who have lived experience in finding solutions to health and mental health challenges with change agents within organizations committed to supporting maternal and child health. MCHLE’s 20 Latina leaders participate in a 12-month learning cohort that combines direct service, training, credentialing, and practice alongside 19 expert co-mentors.

Program Overview: Year 1 (January 2025 – March 2026)

The first year of the Maternal Child Health Leaders for Equity program includes four key components, followed by a period of data analysis. Participants will:

  1. Engage in Learning Sessions
    Explore topics such as community mental health, resource and systems navigation, public health advocacy, home visitation, and civic engagement.

  2. Provide Community-Based Services
    Work alongside Bright Futures Roadmap and Jefferson County Public Health partners in areas such as home visitation, navigation, community outreach, parent education, nutrition support, and doula services. These practice opportunities allow participants to apply new skills and build professional networks.

  3. Collaborate with an Organizational Co-Mentor
    Partner with a mentor from a participating organization to co-create and test innovative solutions that improve service quality and effectiveness in the community.

  4. Participate in Reflective Practice
    Meet regularly with a Cuenta Conmigo mentor for guided reflection, support, and connection, helping sustain learning, prevent burnout, and deepen growth throughout the journey.

Expected Year 1 Outcomes

Cohort Participants

  • Greater confidence navigating systems of care and connecting Latina mothers to essential health services.
  • Stronger sense of belonging, leadership, critical thinking, and advocacy skills.
  • Expanded professional networks, with increased connections to institutional partners.
  • Deeper understanding of how systems work—and how they can be influenced or changed.
  • Clearer identification of professional projects and career pathways in maternal and child health.

Organizational Partners

  • Increased confidence in serving Latino caregivers and children.
  • Stronger family engagement through shared learning with community co-mentors.
  • Reported improvements in health outcomes for families served by participating organizations.

Systems & Networks

  • Improved health outcomes for Latino families through increased information sharing, collaboration, and connection among participants and Bright Futures Roadmap partners.

Progress as of Q3 2025

  • 539 practice hours completed by community leaders.
  • Six monthly learning sessions and a full-day summer retreat for community leaders.
  • Four community of practice meetings and a fall convening hosted with organizational partners.
  • Peer project development meetings led to new community-based initiatives, including:
    • A doula business
    • A cohort resource directory
    • A lactation counseling group
    • A knitting group for pregnant moms
    • A nutrition initiative
    • A community health worker group
    • Educational programs in mental health and child development
  • With financial support from Cuenta Conmigo, eight leaders completed doula training and have begun supporting births, while five leaders completed Community Health Worker certification through the State of Colorado.