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Pitkin County public-health leaders outline services, grants and behavioral-health programs
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Summary
Public Health staff briefed commissioners on department structure, the CHA/FIP cycle, grant-funded programs including PACT (behavioral-health co-responder teams), a three-year chronic disease pilot, radon testing, and communications work supported by CDC infrastructure funding.
Pitkin County Public Health presented an overview of staffing, programs and external partnerships and asked the Board of County Commissioners to consider follow-up items related to funding and interjurisdictional coordination.
Department leadership described the agency’s organization (administration, program education and partnerships, and environmental health) and aligned its work with the state’s foundational public health services and the five-year Colorado Health Assessment and Planning (CHAP) cycle. Staff noted the department’s early-stage public-health improvement plan priorities include access to care, behavioral health and climate-related health concerns.
Ariel Holstein, planning analyst, said the department’s CHA/FIP (community health assessment and public health improvement plan) process uses a combination of primary and secondary data and that the county receives local planning and support dollars from the state (about $91,000) plus smaller annual grants for specific programs. Holstein also described a new three-year chronic-disease pilot grant being implemented with Garfield County funded from tobacco settlement monies: phase 1 (assessment) received $70,000 and the implementation phase is expected to provide about $140,000 per year, subject to CDPHE funding decisions.
Raleigh Bachrach described the PACT (Pick Area Corresponder Teams) behavioral-health co-responder program. PACT funding includes a state behavioral health correspondent grant ($400,000 for the current state fiscal year), a federal DOJ grant ($200,000, year two of three), a state pass-through award ($112,000) and an MOU with local municipalities to cover program gaps (up to $140,000 for 2026). Bachrach said the program’s outcomes are to decriminalize behavioral-health responses, reduce ER visits and reduce 911 calls by offering field-team support and wraparound services.
Peter Mueller, health-promotion administrator, updated the board on recent work in school districts and tobacco policy. Mueller reported the county’s recently passed ordinance prohibiting flavored tobacco products in unincorporated areas is in implementation; he said local retailers are purging affected products and staff are clarifying boundaries for certain nicotine pouches that manufacturers characterize as ‘non-flavored.’
Public-health staff also reviewed environmental health programs (onsite wastewater permitting, radon-testing kits and air monitoring), communicable-disease investigation capacity, and emergency-preparedness activities including volunteer/medical-reserve planning. Staff highlighted a $403,000 EPIC grant (with Aspen Family Connections as lead) that will begin in July and will help fund behavioral-health planning and services, plus ongoing CDC infrastructure funding used to support communications and a planned rebrand of the department’s public-facing materials.
Commissioners asked for follow-ups on potential collaborative promotion of PACT regionally, clarifications on grants and staffing impacts of reduced state funding, and outreach plans related to tobacco and chronic-disease initiatives. Staff said they will provide additional details and planned next steps in future briefings.
