New Arapahoe County Health Department: Formal Process Begins

Amber Fisher
·2 min read

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO — Arapahoe County has taken the first formal step in the process for creating its own single-county health department.

The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday that clarifies the county's intention to leave the Tri-County Health Department.

The commissioners' decision comes after both Adams and Douglas counties announced plans to leave the Tri-County Health Department and form their own departments.

“Arapahoe County is indebted to the TCHD staff for the first-class health programs and services the agency has provided to millions of residents over the course of our partnership,” said Nancy Jackson, Arapahoe County board chair commissioner, in a statement.

“While many residents were unaware of the scope of a health department’s duties prior to COVID, over many decades TCHD’s employees have shown a deep commitment to providing these services. They are a first-rate example of how public health services should be modeled and we will continue to work with them over the coming months to find a workable solution for all involved parties and stakeholders.”

Arapahoe County residents will continue to receive all public health services from the Tri-County Health Department until a replacement department is approved and established, officials said.

"The County is considering several options for providing public health services to its residents—including potentially receiving health services from the TCHD entity as another type of governmental or non-governmental legal entity—starting in 2023, under a new governance model," the county said in a news release.

The county issued the following guiding principles for considering options:

  • This will be a consultative and collaborative process. We will make decisions by consulting with appropriate stakeholders and industry leaders at the local, state, and national levels.

  • We will listen. We value community and stakeholder input and will design appropriate opportunities for the community to provide input and feedback, including listening sessions with TCHD employees.

  • Decisions we make will be fiscally sound and based on industry best practices.

  • We will communicate. We will produce regular communications to inform and engage stakeholders at every appropriate opportunity.

Arapahoe County has been partnered with the Tri-County Health Department for 55 years.

"The local public health agency has served the County’s residents by providing no-cost cancer screenings, overdose prevention, free nurse visits, restaurant and childcare facility inspections and much more during the long and productive partnership," the county's news release read.


This article originally appeared on the Littleton Patch