The Board of Douglas County Commissioners held a special meeting last month for the unanimous adoption of a resolution withdrawing from the Tri-County Health Department and establishing its own single-county public health agency. Tri-County Health Dept. consists of a partnership between Adams, Arapahoe, & Douglas counties. There have been issues with funding and staffing of the department in providing health services to the three counties.
Doctor with Senior Patient
By state law, Douglas County has the authority to withdraw from Tri-County Health by resolution at least one year after written notice to the district of its intent. The County provided the necessary one-year notice of an intent to withdraw from the Tri-County Health Department in a letter dated July 10, 2020. With this action, the County’s governance over public health in Douglas County will not be effective until the appointment and first meeting of the new agency’s public health board by resolution.
At this meeting, the Board of County Commissioners agreed they would consider the initial appointment of five members as the Board of Health. The resolution regarding the formation of the County’s new Board of Health will propose initial membership of Commissioner Lora Thomas, Commissioner George Teal, Dr. Linda Fielding, and Kim Muramoto – currently seated as Board of Health members representing Douglas County including Doug Benevento, who has specific environmental health expertise and is a member of the County’s Public Health Advisory Committee.
The County has worked with public health experts, an internal working group, as well as community members appointed to a new Public Health Advisory Committee on the new agency. After exploring alternative options, Douglas County decided to create a new, localized public health governance model, while maintaining continuity of core public health services for Douglas County. Ironically, Arapahoe County is investigating same issue by hiring a consulting firm on researching for their own health department. Adams County has not responded on the failing partnership.