The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) has long invested in staff development to support staff and reinforce a strong culture. Agency leaders are committed to creating professional development opportunities tailored to the needs of their workforce — building skills that enhance collaboration, support leadership growth, and help staff feel more connected to the organization and one another.

To support this vision, HCPF offers a suite of professional development programs for staff at all stages of their career. These programs are intentionally connected, allowing staff to build skills and deepen their knowledge over time. As HCPF expanded its professional development offerings, leaders identified a gap in training focused specifically on Medicaid policy and operations.

Our staff development approach is built around a North Star learning culture — one that gives people roots to feel grounded and wings to fly. Partnering with the Leadership Center on the Medicaid-focused academy strengthens that foundation and our investment in future leaders.

Brendan Donlin, Learning & Development Manager, Colorado HCPF

To address this need, the department partnered with the National Medicaid Leadership Center to develop the Colorado Medicaid Academy. The Academy is designed to strengthen staff understanding of Medicaid policy, programs, and operations. It provides learning opportunities tailored to HCPF’s strategic goals to help staff build policy knowledge they can apply in their day-to-day work while fostering collaboration across teams.

Today, HCPF continues to strengthen a learning culture that invests in staff as a core part of its mission. Through the Colorado Medicaid Academy and a broader continuum of professional development opportunities, staff can deepen their expertise, build leadership skills, and see clear pathways for growth. This sustained investment in learning and connection has helped foster stronger staff engagement, satisfaction, and retention while reinforcing HCPF’s service mindset — supporting employees so they are better equipped to serve Colorado Medicaid members.

Connect with CHCS

To explore how our team at CHCS can support your state’s leadership and organizational development needs, contact: Lauren Moran, Director, Leadership and Capacity Building, .