Colorado
- State Population: 5,839,926
- Local Health Departments: 54
- Frequent Public Health Emergencies: Wildfires/Flash Flooding, Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Tornadoes
- Key Emergency Operations Center Activations:
2021 – Wildfires
2020 – COVID-19 Pandemic - CDC PHEP Funding:
FY 2022: $10,828,721
FY 2021: $ $10,207,154
FY 2020: $10,066,666 - Public Health Crisis Response Funding:
Mpox 2023 Funding: $801,018
COVID-19 2021 Funding: $34,680,626
COVID-19 2020 Funding: $12,921,039
- Epidemiologists: 4
- Laboratorians: 3
- Planners: 1
- Other: 9*
*Includes IT specialists, administrative staff, statisticians, and other positions
- 1 Career Epidemiology Field Officer
- Community Recovery
- Community Preparedness
- Emergency Operations Coordination
- Medical Materiel Management and Distribution
- Responder Safety and Health
In Colorado, PHEP provides emergency management training for local health department staff, ensuring they can keep residents safe and connect them with needed medical countermeasures during an outbreak or public health emergency. In March 2017, Colorado detected an increase in hepatitis A cases. PHEP-supported staff managed a response that incorporated several local public health agencies. Additionally, PHEP-supported epidemiologists investigated possible cases. The state set up and promoted vaccination clinics where approximately 1,500 people received hepatitis A vaccinations. By November 2017, cases of hepatitis A infection in Colorado had returned to normal levels.
In August, 2015, during an evaluation of the Gold King Mine in San Juan County, three million gallons of mine wastewater was unexpectedly released into a local creek, eventually impacting the Animas River. The PHEP program supported testing and analysis for 135 samples of drinking water, surface water, sediment, and fish tissue. Based on the results of the testing, state and local health authorities could advise residents about water quality in their communities and how to stay safe.
