Take time this month to focus on your cardiovascular health and the health of those you love.
Did you know: heart disease remains the #1 overall cause of death for Americans and the #2 cause of death for Coloradans. In Douglas County, rates of heart disease increased between 2013-2020, and heart disease was the second leading cause of hospitalization.
Preventing heart disease is important to the residents of Douglas County! The Public Health Improvement Plan (PHIP) and the Community Health Assessment identified chronic disease prevention, including heart disease, as a priority for the Douglas County Health Department.
Many aspects of lifestyle contribute to your risk of heart disease including diet, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and tobacco use. Small adjustments can add up and bring big benefits. This month, take one or a few of the following steps to reduce your risk of heart disease:
Add a fruit or vegetable to every meal.
Replace high-calorie beverages with water.
Park farther away from your destination, take the stairs, or add a short walk to your lunch break.
Snack on a small handful of heart-healthy nuts instead of cookies, chips, or other less healthy snacks.
Ask a friend to meet you for a walk, bike ride, or swim.
Have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked, and discuss the results with your doctor.
Get help to stop smoking.
Stick to a bedtime that allows you to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Pause and take slow calming breaths or listen to music when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.
What change will you make this February to show your heart some love?
Get to know your tailor-made Douglas County Health Department
Your new health department is inspired by you – a community that is continually ranked among the healthiest in the nation.
We are committed to transparency and providing you with the information you need so that you can make the best and most informed decisions for yourself and your family.
Colorado’s Core Public Health Services Requirements In 2008, the Colorado Public Health Act required the State Board of Health 1) to establish, by rule, core public health services that each county and district public health agency must provide or ensure; and 2) to establish minimum quality standards for those public health services. Effective Jan. 1, 2020, state and local health departments in Colorado are required to ensure the provision of seven Foundational Capabilities and five Foundational Services
In addition to the baseline, required services, a county may also consider additional services based on the unique public health needs of its community.
As such, in 2021, a public process, led by Douglas County and a team of public health experts, identified the unique public health needs of our communities through the implementation of a Community Health Assessment and a Public Health Improvement Plan, both requirements of state law for all public health agencies.
The public process revealed what our communities believe are the top three public health issues:
Behavioral Health – includes mental health and substance use
Injury Prevention
Disease Management and Prevention — addressing behaviors that lead to chronic diseases
Governed by a Board of Health, your Health Department is providing services in sync with the unique needs of Douglas County.
Your new 21st Century Douglas County Health Department aims to do our part to sustain healthy Douglas County communities while encouraging you to take a proactive role in managing your own health. We are dedicated to keeping you informed to help you make informed decisions toward healthier lives, through collaborative partnerships and actions to affect upstream determinants of health.
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Funding the Health Department The Board of Health and the Board of Douglas County Commissioners committed that the General Fund cost to operate the new health department would not exceed the County’s most recent share as part of Tri-County Health, or $2.5 million – the per capita cost for Douglas County served by Tri-County Health in 2022. The 2023 Health Department Budget is $7.4 million, funding by $4.5 million in state and federal grant programs, $900,000 from services fees, and $2 million in taxpayer dollars from the General Fund, approximately $700,000 less than previously contributed to Tri-County annually. View the Health Department Budget Facts.
History of Public Health Services Delivery in Douglas County On Jan. 1, 1966, following the South Platte River Floods of 1965, Douglas County joined the Tri-County District Health Department, providing Douglas County residents and businesses with requisite public health services. On Sept. 14, 2021, Douglas County separated from Tri-County Health Department to form its own local public health department with an Intergovernmental Agreement for Tri-County Health Department to continue providing some public health services through the end of 2022. Douglas County is now independent from Tri-County Health Department, with its own local health department.
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