PALISADE, Colo. (KKCO) - According to Hilltop's Child and Family Center, half of Mesa County's children are eligible for low-cost health insurance programs, but their parents don't know it.

Hilltop's Child and Family Center says it's a daily occurrence that parents walk through their doors with a sick or hurt child and don't have health insurance. Hilltop wants to let parents know that help is out there.

"It's really hard and the economic downturn has really struck home here, too," says Faith Dupre, a single mother of three.

Dupre lost her job nearly two years ago. "We were doing pretty good, but not so good now," she says.

To make things worse, her youngest, nine-year-old Kenny, struggles with behavior problems and needs to see a doctor regularly.

"My son Kenny is a Special Ed student at Taylor Elementary and he needed some different kind of help and I didn't have insurance to cover it," says Dupre.

Kenny's school suggested a psychologist, but Dupre's kids don't have insurance, making it too expensive to see a doctor. "I filed for Social Services and I was declined because I make too much money, but by the time you pay for things, you're well below the poverty line," she says.

That's when Dupre heard about Hilltop's Child and Family Center. "I wasn't too hopeful. It's been like that before, where you go in and you're hopeful they really can help," says Dupre.

But this time around, Dupre got the help she needed. Through the B4 Babies and Beyond program, she was able to get Kenny and her other kid covered.

Hilltop says their B4 Babies and Beyond program is well-known for pregnant women, but the benefits extend to all kids.

"We enroll the kids, too. So if they're not pregnant and they have kids that aren't covered by insurance, we can get the kids covered. So that parents don't have to fret or stress about their child not having coverage," says Cathy Story of Hilltop's Child and Family Center.

B4 Babies and Beyond provides application assistance and can even get a temporary insurance card issued, so kids can get to the doctor right away. Also, eligibility requirements aren't unreasonable she says. "A family of four can make around $2,800 a month."

The annual cost ranges from nothing, for kids on Medicaid, to about $35 a month for CHP+.

"The most out of pocket a family will pay for CHP+ is $35 and $2 or $3 for your co-pay," says Story.

Dupre went from having no faith, to feeling blessed now that her kids have insurance. "The kids have started the CHP program. Kenny's already seen the doctor and has another appointment. Things are looking up," she says.

These state insurance programs can be tricky to apply for at times. There's a lot of paperwork and information to sort through, but Hilltop will help you through the process. So, if you've applied and been denied before, Hilltop may have some suggestions to help and their services are free.

For more information, click on the link below.