State alleges patient safety, financial problems at facility that served Ouray, other counties

A troubled multicounty clinic based in Delta that offered physical and mental health services to some of the most vulnerable people on the Western Slope closed its doors Friday.

Integrated Insight Community Care’s closure comes after insurer Rocky Mountain Health Plans ended its contract with the clinic Jan. 18, citing concerns about patient safety. The state Behavioral Health Administration is also investigating a “multitude” of allegations against the clinic, including claims it falsified treatment records and that its founder had an inappropriate romantic relationship with a client and gave center staff drugs and alcohol on the job, state records show.

Clinic founder Joel Watts has denied wrongdoing and said he would even welcome a criminal investigation.

“Had we been given a chance to prove all of these allegations false, instead of shutting off our contract or targeting us at the state level, we could have proven them wrong and we could have still been in operation,” Watts said in an interview Tuesday evening.

The clinic employed about 100 staff and cared for about 1,400 people, most covered by Medicaid, who live on the Western Slope where providers are scarce, especially those willing to take that kind of insurance.

The state Medicaid department said it supports the decision by Rocky Mountain Health Plans to stop reimbursing the clinic for services.

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