Douglas County invites residents to shape health priorities at session

Douglas County households are helping steer where the county puts its public health energy over the next three years, from mental health support to how people learn about transportation and other essential services. The Douglas County Health Department invited residents to weigh in on its Community Health Improvement Plan and said the plan will shape how local agencies coordinate care, outreach and resources in Castle Rock, rural parts of the county and other communities.

The county’s current roadmap is the 2025-2028 Public Health Improvement Plan. Douglas County said the plan was built from a year of resident engagement and is meant to guide decisions that touch day-to-day health access, including peer support services, communication about support programs and efforts aimed at underserved areas. County materials say the plan also aligns with broader county priorities to coordinate healthcare and public health resources.

Public input is not window dressing in the process. Douglas County said public health improvement plans are required under Colorado’s Public Health Act of 2008 and are guided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Colorado Health Assessment and Planning System. The county also said the process lines up with Public Health Accreditation Board requirements for local health departments, which gives the plan a formal role in how the department sets its work.

In a February 17, 2026 county post announcing the assessment and plan, officials said residents identified mental health and reliable access to essential needs and healthcare as the top concerns. Douglas County said its response will include expanding peer support services, increasing awareness of mental health resources, diversifying communication methods for transportation and support services, strengthening outreach partnerships and prioritizing underserved rural areas.

The assessment drew support from public meetings hosted by AdventHealth in 2025, adding another layer of local input to the planning process. County leaders said the goal is not only to list problems, but to connect resident concerns to practical changes that can be tracked through county services and partnerships.

The work also reflects how new the health department is. Douglas County Health Department began providing its first public services on June 1, 2022, and the department’s strategic planning has since involved Michael Hill, Greg Smith, DO, Laura Larson, Jon Surbeck, Linda Fielding, MD, Kim Muramoto, RN and others. For residents, the immediate stakes are simple: the feedback gathered now will help determine how Douglas County answers mental health needs, supports basic access and reaches communities that have historically been harder to serve.