Out of all the political controversy the coronavirus has caused in Colorado, the pullout of Douglas County from the Tri-County Health Department — and the domino effect it had on Adams and Arapahoe counties — may be the action that ends up having the biggest consequences on some metro Denver governments. The costs of Arapahoe […]
Tri-County Health Department
When will COVID become endemic in Colorado? Soon, the state hopes.
OK, so now is the pandemic almost over? In a flurry of votes and orders issued over the past several days, both the state and local governments have begun to dismantle some of Colorado’s most visible remaining COVID restrictions. Denver and Tri-County Health Department will allow their mask mandates to expire this week. Jefferson, Broomfield […]
Denver, Adams and Arapahoe counties are lifting their mask orders as COVID cases fall
Declaring that “we’re at a pivot point in this battle,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock on Monday announced that the city will allow its mask mandate for stores and businesses to expire Thursday. The order will remain in place for schools and child care centers, though. While not ruling out future restrictions if cases begin to […]
Arapahoe County — the last holdout — votes to leave Tri-County Health Department
The final member of the Tri-County Health Department (TCHD), Arapahoe County, voted today to leave the agency at the end of 2022. This vote follows earlier decisions by Douglas and Adams counties to do the same. “County residents will continue to receive all public health services from TCHD until a replacement health department and new […]
Adams, Arapahoe and Jefferson counties will have indoor mask mandates starting Wednesday
Facing the possibility that the current COVID-19 surge could breach Colorado’s hospital capacity, the public health agency for Adams and Arapahoe counties Monday issued a new indoor mask mandate through at least the end of the year. Also Monday, Jefferson County Public Health’s board voted 4-1 to pass a new ordinance to require people ages […]
Schools, pediatricians look to make up lost ground on non-COVID vaccinations
By Kate Ruder, KHN WESTMINSTER — Melissa Blatzer was determined to get her three children caught up on their routine immunizations on a recent Saturday morning at a walk-in clinic in this Denver suburb. It had been about a year since the kids’ last shots, a delay Blatzer chalked up to the pandemic. Two-year-old Lincoln Blatzer, […]
Tri-County Health halts COVID-19 services to Douglas County
Tri-County Health Department is no longer providing COVID-19 services in Douglas County as of today, county leaders said. That announcement, along with news that the state public health department will be taking over those duties, was made during a Douglas County commissioners work session this morning. “I’m disappointed but not surprised that Tri-County is reneging […]
Don’t count Tri-County Health Department out yet, its leaders say
The formal bonds that hold the public-health partnership among Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties together may be loosening, but the complete demise of the Tri-County Health Department, which has been around for decades, may be less certain to happen than it appears. “My best-case scenario is, after a couple months, Adams County works with us […]
Adams, Arapahoe counties to withdraw from Tri-County Health Department after Douglas County’s exit
Adams County commissioners will vote to begin the process to end the county’s relationship with the Tri-County Health Department. According to a news release on Tuesday, commissioners intend to bring forward a resolution at their Oct. 26 public hearing to provide notice of Adams County’s decision to leave Tri-County Health Department. Per its legal obligation, […]
Douglas County will continue receiving public health services from Tri-County through at least 2022
Douglas County will continue to receive all public health services from Tri-County Health Department until at least the end of 2022 after the two entities came to an agreement that was approved by the county commissioners during a Tuesday work session. The county will still have its own board of health in charge of things […]