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Human Services

Department of Human Services Logo

 

Vision

To serve Coloradans through bold and innovative health and human services. 

Mission

Together, we empower Coloradans to thrive.

Summary

The Colorado Department of Human Services (the Department) collaborates with partners in State and county governments, nonprofits, advocates, community residents, providers and many others to empower Coloradans to thrive through bold and innovative health and human services.

 

Specifically, the Department supports and/or provides care for Colorado families who need assistance with food, cash, employment or energy assistance; children, youth and adults at risk of abuse or neglect; individuals with developmental disabilities; pre-adjudicated and committed youth in trauma-responsive environments; individuals who need treatment inpatient level of care for mental illness and all competency restoration services; older adults and their families who need resources to care for themselves or their older loved one; Honorably discharged veterans, their spouses/widows, and Gold Star parents of children who died while serving in the armed forces; and deaf, hard-of-hearing and deafblind Coloradans. The Department’s staff is committed to providing the right services to the right people in the right setting at the right time.

 

Beyond the Senior Executive Team and the Executive Director’s Office, which includes Operations and Strategy, Financial Services, and the Community Partnerships teams, the Department is split into four management offices, each led by an office director. Together with the Senior Executive Team and Executive Director’s Office, offices provide the leadership structure to facilitate the delivery of cross-system human services programs to Colorado. These  teams are:

 

Operations and Strategy provides critical services and leadership to help the Department achieve its mission and strategic goals. This office brings together key administrative and strategic functions to make sure the agency operates efficiently, effectively and with maximum impact. It encompasses:

  • Human Resources; 
  • Facilities Management; 
  • Audit; 
  • Quality Assurance; 
  • Business Innovation, Technology and Security; 
  • Emergency Management; and 
  • Legal Affairs. 

It also includes oversight of the Better Together strategic plan and its related work stream priorities. The team leads enterprise functions such as Policy; Strategic Operations and Solutions; Access; and Communications—aligning operational support with strategic direction to advance outcomes for all Coloradans.

 

Community Partnerships (CP) within CDHS plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration, streamlining communication, and building partnerships to improve human services across Colorado. Collectively, CP acts as a cross-system catalyst for inter-agency and cross-office cooperation, working to ensure effective communication strategies with both external partners and county agencies. A key focus is on leveraging data and feedback through streamlined satisfaction surveys to drive people-centered solutions and process improvements that directly benefit Coloradans.

 

The team is composed of subject matter experts whose roles are instrumental in addressing critical statewide issues such as housing insecurity, benefits cliff effect, gaps in infrastructure and resources to support older Coloradans, as well as creating connections to critical human services support for our Native American communities. CP team members also provide comprehensive support to county partners through regular communication, performance review, and training; oversee the rulemaking process for CDHS, facilitating public participation; manage official complaints to ensure accountability and data-driven improvements; and conduct outreach to further human services resource navigation across systems. This multifaceted approach underscores CP’s commitment to building strong relationships, providing expert guidance, and implementing effective strategies to better serve all Coloradans.

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Financial Services is responsible for managing the Department’s $2.7 billion budget, as well as additional unappropriated federal dollars. Financial Services provides governance, oversight, training and education to the Department’s programs as well as county partners. Financial Services oversees Budget, Legislative Affairs, Accounting, Payroll, Contracts, Procurement and warehouse storage and delivery.

 

The Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services (OAADS) serves The Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services (OAADS) serves Colorado’s older adults, veterans and those with disabilities through responsive and person-centered support. OAADS elevates adults towards independence to live their best lives their way and makes sure Coloradans live in the communities of their choice. Services are provided through four divisions that include:

  • The Division of Regional Centers (DRC)  supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in group homes located throughout the communities of Pueblo, Grand Junction and Wheat Ridge. 
  • The Veterans Community Living Centers (VCLC) oversee the regulatory and fiscal operations of five Long Term Care nursing homes that provide 24/7 care to veterans, surviving spouses and Gold Star parents. 
  • Aging and Adult Protective Services (AAPS) includes Adult Protective Services (APS) and the State Unit on Aging (SUA). The SUA directs funding and oversees the Aging Network, including the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). The state’s APS program directs funding and oversees APS departments located within counties across Colorado. 
  • Disability Determination Services works in partnership with the Social Security Administration to make the medical decision for an initial, reconsideration and continual disability review claim.  

 

The Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health (OCFMH) operates Colorado’s two mental health hospitals, the Forensic Services Division and the Mental Health Transitional Living program. The office provides a continuum of mental health care that includes pre-trial restoration services, inpatient hospitalization and transition homes for community-based care.

 

Civil clients and patients are individuals who are committed by a civil court into the care of the Department, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, because they have serious mental health conditions. OCFMH provides inpatient hospital care as well as transitional, community-based services, depending on the patient or client’s needs. 

 

Forensic clients and patients include two types of people. One category is individuals who are charged with a crime and have a mental or developmental disability that prevents them from assisting in their own defense or rationally understanding the criminal court proceedings. The second category is individuals who have been charged with a crime but found not guilty by reason of insanity. OCFMH works across the justice system to provide evaluations, treatment and case management for these clients.

 

The Mental Health Transitional Living Homes program provides two levels of care across 164 beds, which are made up of state operated and contracted facilities.  

 

The Office is in the process of designing the first state operated Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility which will be located on the Ft Logan campus. The new 16 bed facility is anticipated to begin serving youth with high acuity needs in 2027.

 

The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) is committed to supporting Colorado’s most vulnerable children, youth and families through high-quality, coordinated services. OCYF includes three divisions:

  • Division of Child Welfare (DCW): DCW supports families across Colorado to prevent and respond to child abuse, neglect and family conflict. As a state-supervised, county-administered program, DCW delivers prevention services, investigates concerns of maltreatment and strengthens family engagement to promote child safety and community-based permanency. The division also oversees the licensing and monitoring of all 24-hour care providers, including foster homes, Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs), and Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs).
  • Division of Youth Services (DYS): DYS manages Colorado’s juvenile justice system for youth ages 10 to 21. The Division operates detention facilities for youth in pre-adjudication and commitment facilities for youth who have been adjudicated as delinquent. Each center delivers behavioral health, medical and educational services. DYS also oversees the Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, which funds and guides local jurisdictions in providing appropriate services and supervision for youth, and administers the state's youth parole services.
  • Division of Community Programs (DCP): DCP strengthens Colorado’s community-based services by supporting OCYF’s community-facing units, including the Colorado Sexual Health Initiative, Domestic Violence Program, Juvenile Parole Board, Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, MINDSOURCE and the Collaborative Management Program. DCP fosters strategic partnerships with Tribes, grantees, counties, and community stakeholders. It leads initiatives in grant management, outreach, technical assistance and promotion of youth and family voices in policymaking, with an emphasis on equity, inclusion, and community empowerment.

 

The Office is also supported by medical oversight, legislative, finance and communications teams that advance policies, manage resources and increase public engagement. Together, OCYF works closely with counties and community partners to help families and young people across Colorado thrive.

 

The Office of Economic Security (OES) operates programs that provide income, employment, food and support services to our most vulnerable Coloradans. Divisions include Child Support Services; Economic and Workforce Support; Food and Energy Assistance; and Staff Development.

  • The Division of Child Support Services helps make sure children receive regular financial support from both parents through parentage and child support order establishment and location and enforcement services. It is committed to providing family-centered services that address barriers to consistent child support payments. 
  • The Division of Economic and Workforce Support provides programming that connects people to employment and benefits services that focus on poverty reduction, family stability and child well-being. Programs include Colorado Works (the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, also known as TANF), Adult Financial Programs for adults older than 60 years or with a disability, Colorado Employment First and ReHire Colorado. 
  • The Food and Energy Assistance Division safeguards health and well-being of Coloradans by administering programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) and Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). In addition, the division provides Food Distribution Programs (FDP) including the Emergency Food Assistance Program, National School Lunch Program, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodities and Everyday Eats for older adults. 
  • The Staff Development Division (SDD) works to identify essential training needs and to establish, facilitate and maintain competency-based training programs for county staff working with Coloradans who are accessing public and medical assistance.

Performance Plans