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Our Sponsor Spotlight series highlights the amazing community partners of Young Americans Center, and this week’s feature is no exception. Children’s Hospital Colorado is the sponsor of the Young AmeriTowne Medical Center. In addition to creating a colorful
and exciting space for AmeriTowne participants, Children’s Colorado enables students to experience a career as a Doctor, Health Technician, Accountant, or Manager for a day.
Since 1898, Children’s Colorado has been dedicated to caring for youth of all ages. As the only top-ranked pediatric hospital in the seven-state Rocky Mountain region, Children’s Colorado treated 724,716 young people last year for inpatient, outpatient and urgent or emergency visits. This reach is possible because of the opening of their new, expanded location at the Anschutz Medical Campus in 2007. Working to improve the health and safety of children includes outreach into the community—which is where the partnership between Young AmeriTowne and Children’s Colorado originated. The AmeriTowne Medical Center is responsible for the health of all Towne citizens—a mission perfectly aligned with that of Children’s Colorado.
In Young AmeriTowne, the Children’s Medical Center staff works diligently to “cure”
sick citizens. At some point during the day, a 
student may receive an index-sized card letting her know she is sick and must report immediately to the Medical Center. After the patient is transported to the Medical Center for treatment in an ambulance wheelchair, the Doctors look up symptoms on a diagnostic computer. Meanwhile, the Health Technicians take the patient’s vital signs: temperature, blood pressure, weight, and height. The whole process takes about five minutes.
Besides providing treatment, the Children’s Medical Center also offers health insurance. Each business pays for the health insurance of its employees so that out-of-pocket health expenses are kept low—patients pay only a $2.00 co-pay if they are taken to the Medical Center.
The goal of Young AmeriTowne is to allow youth to experience financial education in a fun, hands-on way. Children’s Colorado helps to make this possible by providing a real-world lesson in how health care works and by creating a space where young people can try out a career as a medical professional.
