How Public Health Is Organised in Colorado

Colorado does not run one statewide health department that handles every request. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), headquartered in Denver, sets statewide rules and runs programs such as vital records, laboratory testing and disease surveillance. The offices you actually visit for shots, nutrition support or an inspection are local public health agencies, and each of the state's 64 counties must be served by one.

That structure comes from the Colorado Public Health Act of 2008, which sits in Title 25 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. The law allows a single county agency, a multi-county district or a municipal agency. A local board of health governs each one. In some counties the board is the elected commissioners, and in others it is a separate appointed panel. The State Board of Health adopts statewide public health rules, and local boards work within them.

Because every board makes its own choices, the name on the door varies. You will find Boulder County Public Health, the Weld County Health Department, the Summit County Public Health Department and the Hinsdale County Public Health Agency. A few counties combine services. The Delta County Department of Health and Human Services in Delta and Kit Carson County Health and Human Services in Burlington put public health under the same roof as social services.

Front Range Metro Agencies: Larger Staffs, More Clinic Sites

Most Coloradans live along the Front Range, and that is where the biggest agencies operate. Denver is a consolidated city and county, so its health work is handled by one city department rather than a separate county office. Jefferson County is served by the Jefferson County Health Department at 6303 Wadsworth Bypass in Arvada (303-275-7500). Boulder County Public Health has its main office at 3450 Broadway in Boulder (303-441-1100) and a Longmont location at 529 Coffman Street (303-678-6166).

Broomfield became its own city and county in 2001 and runs the Broomfield Public Health and Environment Division from 6 Garden Center (303-887-2200). Our records file it under Boulder County, so check there if you are searching the northwest metro area. In Weld County, the Weld County Health Department is at 1555 North 17th Avenue in Greeley (970-304-6420). Larger agencies tend to offer online appointment booking and several clinic sites, though services differ from one agency to the next.

What Happened to Tri-County Health Department

For decades, Tri-County Health Department served Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. It dissolved at the end of 2022. Since 2023, each county has had its own agency: Adams County Health Department, Arapahoe County Public Health and the Douglas County Health Department. The Douglas agency is at 9350 Heritage Hills Circle in Lone Tree (303-784-7860).

Our database still holds several older Tri-County entries, with addresses on Samuel Drive in Denver, South Willow Drive in Greenwood Village, East Iliff Avenue in Aurora and South 20th Avenue in Brighton. Treat those as legacy records. Before you drive anywhere in Adams County or Arapahoe County, call the county's current agency and confirm the location and hours.

Rural and Mountain Colorado: Fewer Offices, Longer Drives

Outside the metro area, the picture changes. Many rural counties have small staffs, and some share an agency with their neighbors. The Northeast Colorado Health Department, at 150 Ash Avenue in Akron (970-345-6562), covers several plains counties, including Washington County. San Juan Basin Health, at 281 Sawyer Drive in Durango (970-247-5702), serves La Plata and Archuleta counties in the southwest.

Mountain and resort counties have their own pressures. The Summit County Public Health Department operates from 360 Peak One Drive in Breckenridge (970-668-9161). San Miguel County Health Department is at 333 W Colorado Avenue in Telluride (970-728-0447). In Aspen, Community Health Services Incorporated is listed at 405 Castle Creek Road (970-920-5420). Gilpin County Public Health and Environmental Services is at 2960 Dory Hill Road in Black Hawk (303-582-5803). The Lake County Health Department, at 112 West 5th Street in Leadville (719-486-2413), sits above 10,000 feet.

Park County spreads across a large high basin, so it has two listings. The Park County Public Health Department is at 825 Clark Street in Fairplay (719-836-4161). The Park County Health Department is at 59865 Highway 285 in Bailey (303-816-5970), which sits on US 285 closer to the Denver side. Hinsdale County Public Health Agency, at 304 3rd Street in Lake City (970-944-0321), serves one of the state's least populated counties. Expect limited clinic days and call first.

In the San Luis Valley, the Alamosa County Public Health Department is at 8900 Independence Way in Alamosa (719-589-6639). Our database also lists an Alamosa Health Department at the same address and phone number, so treat the two as one office. In Grand Junction, a listing named Colorado Health Department at 222 South 6th Street (970-248-7162) falls in Mesa County. The name is generic, so ask which program you are reaching when you call.

What Colorado Local Health Departments Handle

Services differ by agency, but most cover a similar core. Typical offerings include:

It also helps to know what these offices do not handle. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) applications go through the county human services department or the state PEAK portal. Hospital and nursing home licensing belongs to CDPHE. Doctor and nurse licenses come from the Department of Regulatory Agencies. In Delta and Kit Carson counties, health and human services share a department, which can save you a second trip.

Getting Service at a Colorado Health Department Office

Start with the county where you live or where your business operates, not the nearest city. Jurisdiction follows county lines or the boundary of a multi-county district. A restaurant in Greeley answers to Weld County, while one in Aurora may fall under Adams, Arapahoe or Douglas depending on which side of the city line it sits. Then call or check the agency's website for hours. Many clinics run by appointment, and some rural offices offer certain services only on set days.

Bring a photo ID and proof of address. For vaccines, bring your child's immunization record and insurance card. The Colorado Immunization Information System, the statewide registry, can often supply missing records. For WIC, bring identification, proof of residence and proof of income if asked. Septic and food permits need property details, and plan review is best started before construction begins or a lease is signed. Fees are set locally, so ask before you go. Many programs reduce or waive costs for eligible households.

If you need to report a suspected foodborne illness or a restaurant concern, contact the local agency first. Outbreak investigations are local work with CDPHE support. For a medical emergency, call 911 rather than a health office.

The health department network in Colorado consists of the state health agency and a system of county and city health departments that together deliver public health programs, disease surveillance, and preventive services to residents statewide.

Health Departments locations are available in 76 cities across Colorado. They are spread across 60 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Denver, Fairplay, Greeley, which operate full-service health departments providing comprehensive clinical and environmental health services to large urban populations.

Residents of Colorado can access their local health department for vaccinations, vital records, food inspection reports, and communicable disease information. Many services are available by appointment, and some are walk-in friendly.

Health Departments by Counties

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Residents of Colorado can order certified birth and death certificates, check restaurant inspection scores, and access free or low-cost vaccination services through their local health department. Most departments offer online appointment scheduling for clinical services.

Browse Health Departments by county across Colorado to find the nearest location.

Timing Your Visit to a Colorado Health Department

Demand at Colorado health offices follows the calendar. Late July and August bring a rush for school and child care immunization records, so book early. Flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics usually open in early fall. Summer is West Nile virus season along the Front Range and eastern plains, and county environmental health staff field mosquito questions. Wildfire smoke can trigger air quality advisories in late summer, which CDPHE posts for the whole state.

Altitude and geology bring their own services. Radon, a naturally occurring gas, is common in Colorado homes, and many local agencies provide test kits or mitigation advice. Mountain counties such as Park, Lake and Summit also hear questions about well water and septic systems on steep or rocky lots. If you live in the city of Denver, remember that city and county share one jurisdiction, so start with the Denver County page rather than looking for a separate suburban office.

Winter road conditions matter in the mountains and on the plains. Before a long drive to Leadville, Lake City or Akron, call ahead and ask whether the service you need is offered that day. A short call can save a trip over a mountain pass.

Use the listings on this page as a starting point. Addresses and phone numbers come from public records, and agencies move or merge, as the Tri-County change showed. If a number does not connect, search the county name with the words public health, or call the county commissioners' office, which can direct you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Health Departments in Colorado

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, known as CDPHE, is the lead state agency. It runs statewide programs, operates the state public health laboratory, manages vital records and supports local agencies. The State Board of Health adopts statewide public health rules. Under the Colorado Public Health Act of 2008, every county must be covered by a local public health agency governed by its own board of health. CDPHE sets standards and provides expertise, but your local office usually delivers the service. For hospital or nursing home licensing, deal with CDPHE directly. For vaccines, WIC or restaurant inspections, start with your county agency.

Every county has public health coverage, but not always its own office. Some agencies serve several counties as a district. San Juan Basin Health in Durango serves La Plata and Archuleta counties, and the Northeast Colorado Health Department in Akron covers multiple plains counties. Denver and Broomfield are each a combined city and county, so one agency covers both levels of government. In other places, such as Delta County and Kit Carson County, public health sits inside a combined health and human services department. When you search, use your county name and check whether a district agency covers it.

Tri-County Health Department served Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties for decades. It dissolved at the end of 2022 when the counties moved to separate agencies. Since 2023, the Adams County Health Department, Arapahoe County Public Health and the Douglas County Health Department have operated independently. Phone numbers and addresses printed under the old name may be out of date, and some listings in our directory still carry that name. Check with the current county agency before visiting for immunizations, inspections or certificates. A quick call confirms the location, the hours and whether you need an appointment.

In many places, yes. CDPHE's vital records office in Denver holds Colorado records, and many local public health agencies or county offices can issue certified copies. Not every agency offers the service, so call first. Colorado limits who may order a certificate to people with a direct and tangible interest, such as the person named, a parent or a legal representative. Bring valid photo ID and be ready to pay a fee, which varies by office and by ordering method. Mail and online orders through the state are alternatives if the nearest office is a long drive away.

Usually your local public health agency, though arrangements differ by county. Onsite wastewater systems are regulated under state rules that local boards of health enforce, so a septic permit often begins with the environmental health division. Restaurants, grocery stores and similar retail food businesses are generally inspected and licensed locally. CDPHE supports local agencies and handles certain licensing itself, such as wholesale food manufacturing. Before buying land or signing a lease, ask the agency about plan review, soil testing and inspection timing. Rural and mountain lots in counties like Park, Gilpin and Lake may need extra evaluation because of slope, rock and groundwater. Fees are set locally.

Contact a WIC site in your county. Many local public health agencies run one, and others partner with community health centers. WIC serves pregnant and postpartum women, breastfeeding mothers, infants and children up to age five who meet income guidelines and a nutrition risk check. Bring photo ID, proof of address and proof of income, and bring the child if you can. Households receiving Health First Colorado, SNAP or TANF may qualify automatically on income. Appointments are usually required, and some rural sites hold clinics only on certain days, so confirm the schedule before you travel.