Editor’s note: This is the third part in a weekly series of profiles on the 2022 Heart of Broomfield award winners. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 22.
Described as a “shining star” within the Broomfield community, Jennifer Ramirez is shining her light on mental health resources for those most in need.
As a Community Health Worker for Broomfield County at Mental Health Partners, Ramirez works directly with people in the community to address issues and connect them to resources for mental and physical health resources, housing, food insecurity or whatever else is needed.
“We meet people where they are at,” Ramirez said. “Everyone we work with is in a different place and we have to adjust to help them with whatever specific needs they have.”
Ramirez, who has worked with MHP since the inception of this program in 2019, will be honored in September as the 2022 Heart of Broomfield Healthcare Hero.
As a single parent with three children, who has experienced moments where she too needed assistance, Ramirez understands what knowing what resources are available to you means.
“I’ve been there before and I’m happy to be able to help others now,” Ramirez said.
Before this program was created, Ramirez was doing similar volunteer work at places such as The Refuge Café in Broomfield. Now, she still works out of places like the café to meet up with clients.
“Most days of the week I’m in organizations throughout Broomfield like The Refuge Café, the library and Broomfield FISH,” Ramirez said. “I’m there to be a face in the community that people know they can ask for help.”
A part of her job is to be well-versed in all the resources available to the people she works with and Ramirez said she credits the closeness of Broomfield organizations and nonprofits for how easily and quickly she can provide assistance to those she works with.
“It’s the Broomfield community as a whole,” Ramirez said. “All the nonprofits are so connected and all work together as a team to help people. It really helps having such a tight network of resources.”
Ramirez credits the closeness of the resources that she works with, but her supervisor, Community Outreach Manager Jennifer Hyder, credits Ramirez for her extensive knowledge and ability to connect with clients for her success in this position.
“Jen is deeply connected to the Broomfield community already,” Hyder said. “She really represents the community she is serving.”
Hyder shared multiple stories of Ramirez going the extra mile to assist clients who were unhoused and in need of resources get connected quickly and easily. Hyder said according to records, Ramirez has helped more than 2,400 individuals within Broomfield since she started in 2019, and has assisted over 300 people in receiving access to behavioral health services.
“She really sees the big picture when it comes to helping someone,” Hyder said. “She’s able to gain trust and connect with the people she works with to get them started with housing and then looking at what it’s going to take to keep them housed and stable.”
Another MHP co-worker, Program Manager and MHP Trainer Susan Bellas, described Ramirez as a “superhero in our community.” She echoed Hyder’s sentiment of going the extra mile.
“She lives here, she works here and she’s totally invested,” Bellas said. “Not only is she passionate and knowledgeable about what she does, but she really cares. She has ongoing contact with people, because sometimes it might be one piece of information to share and other times it’s weeks for follow up to help change someone’s life completely.”
Ramirez said she is thankful to be a part of the many resources in Broomfield to help those in need, and is grateful to be acknowledged as a part of that.
“Coming from where I’ve come from, I just want people to know there is someone here for them,” Ramirez said. “No one knows there’s a need unless people are asking. These are people in the community who we all know, and to want to see the community thrive is something that’s most important to me.”
