New regional care network aims to close service gaps for rural residents

Southwest Community Cares, a regional initiative developed with partners across Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan counties, is slated to launch in early spring 2026 to strengthen coordination among health, human services and community organizations. The project is designed to make it easier for residents in small towns to find and access needed supports by improving referral pathways and sharing information among providers.

Regional coordinator Doug McCarthy detailed the initiative in an interview on Jan. 15, 2026, explaining that Southwest Community Cares was built collaboratively with local agencies and community groups to create a more connected and responsive system of care. Organizers say the effort targets the chronic fragmentation that can leave rural residents without clear routes to behavioral health, housing supports, elder care, transportation assistance and other essential services.

At the heart of the plan are four goals: better referral pathways so clients move smoothly from need to service; reducing geographic and programmatic service gaps; improved information-sharing among providers to avoid duplication and missed needs; and building regional capacity so smaller communities, including Dolores County towns, can tap a broader network of supports. For Dolores County, with its dispersed population and limited local agencies, the promise is more predictable access to services that are otherwise concentrated in larger towns.

Public health implications include potential reductions in unmet health and social needs, faster connections in crises, and stronger continuity of care across county lines. A coordinated network can help local clinics, case managers and nonprofits work from shared knowledge about available resources instead of operating in isolation. That could prove especially important during wildfire seasons, public health emergencies or spikes in housing instability, when cross-county cooperation matters most.

The initiative will require collaboration on governance, data-sharing agreements and sustainable funding to function long term. Organizers emphasize building capacity rather than replacing local services, with an eye toward equity so that remote residents are not left behind. For local nonprofits and county agencies, participation will mean aligning referral practices and contributing to a regional picture of needs and resources.

Once operational, Southwest Community Cares will offer avenues for agencies and residents to participate or seek services through participating partners in each county. Dolores County residents should watch for outreach from county health and human services offices and local community organizations about how to connect with the network as it comes online.

For readers, the network aims to make the next call for help easier to place and the next referral easier to follow. As Southwest Community Cares prepares to roll out, local leaders and service providers will shape how effectively the region closes gaps and expands access for rural families and older adults in Dolores County.