Where to find Las Animas County public services, health care resources

This quick-reference guide lists where to find core county government, Department of Human Services and local public-health services in Las Animas County. Las Animas County administration and the Department of Human Services are at 219 S. Chestnut Street, Trinidad, CO 81082; the county phone is (719) 846-2276 and DHS office hours are listed as Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 4:30 p.m., with a note that most departments should be checked on their department pages for confirmation.

The Department of Human Services for Las Animas County offers a broad program set under adult, children and family headings. Adult programs include Old Age Pension (OAP), Cash Assistance for the Disabled or Blind, Colorado Medicaid - Health First Colorado, Connect for Health Colorado, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Commodity Supplemental Food Program, Adult Protective Services, Veterans Services, Area Agency on Aging (AAA), Long Term Care Ombudsman, Non-Emergency Medical Transportation - NEMT, Burial Assistance and Report Fraud. Children’s services list Child Support Services, Youth and Family Services, Foster Care and Adoptions, Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) and Medicaid (Health First Colorado). Family services include SNAP, Emergency Food Distribution Program and Colorado Works (TANF). DHS materials note online filing options - “Apply Online with PEAK” - and administrative items such as DHS Office Closures, DHS Records Request, County Administrative Procedure - Appeals and Report Fraud.

The county website also hosts the HCFSS referral mechanism. “The HCFSS Referral Form allows individuals, families, and professionals to refer someone for Home, Community, and Family Support Services in Las Animas or Huerfano County, and helps identify appropriate programs based on individual needs and circumstances,” and the page features an Apply Now action. The county site includes accessibility statements - a “version 2.1, level AA criteria” line and “Notification of ADA Policies” - and notes that the HCPF Nondiscrimination Policy has been adopted by LACDHS.

Bent County Public Health serves Las Animas, Hasty and McClave from an office listed at 701 Park Ave (also shown in some materials as 701 S Park Ave), Las Animas, CO 81054, with CDPHE listing a contact of 719-456-0517. Bent County materials state that “Bent County Public Health has served the communities of Las Animas, Hasty and McClave for more than 45 years, when the Bent County Nursing Service formed in 1976,” and declare “The mission of Bent County Public Health is to prevent disease, injury, and disability and promote physical and mental health.” Service headings include Women, Infants & Children (WIC), Home Health Services, Vital Records, Public Health Services, Immunizations, Employment and Board of Health.

The Las Animas–Huerfano Counties District Health Department operates offices at 412 Benedicta Avenue, Trinidad (phone 719-846-2213, fax 719-846-4472) and 119 E 5th Street, Walsenburg (phone 719-738-2650, fax 719-738-2653). “In partnership with the community, our mission is to promote preventative health, education, and to provide healthcare services that will enhance the quality of life for citizens of Las Animas and Huerfano Counties,” the department states. Programs listed include WIC - “The WIC program provides personalized nutrition education, breastfeeding support, as well as screening and referrals to other health, food and community programs” - home health, immunizations and a Vital Statistics Office that “maintains birth and death records from 1910 and forward” and notes those certificates “are certified legal documents and can be used for passports, traveling, school registration and driver’s licenses etc.” The department adds that “The Environmental Health programs focus on preventing communicable diseases and environmental conditions that could be harmful to your health” and that “The Emergency Preparedness and Response program is dedicated to providing helpful and informative resources in the areas of disease, natural disaster, terrorism and other emergency threats.” The office materials state: “All hours are Monday - Friday only and apply to both counties.” Recent “What’s New” items include Drop Da Vape events, a Parent Night: Drop Da Vape and a notice about a confirmed measles case in a visitor from out of state.

Census QuickFacts snapshot for Las Animas County shows a high school graduate rate of 90.2 percent and a bachelor’s degree rate of 19.3 percent for persons 25 and older (2020-2024), with 15.0 percent of people under 65 living with a disability and 10.5 percent of people under 65 without health insurance. Labor force participation is listed at 51.9 percent overall and 50.5 percent for females. Business figures list total accommodation and food services sales in 2022 as 42,259 ($1,000) and total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue in 2022 as 77,375 ($1,000). The QuickFacts materials advise caution when comparing 2020-2024 ACS 5-year estimates to other ACS estimates.

CDPHE’s county directory corroborates the local listings: Las Animas-Huerfano Counties District Health Department at 412 Benedicta Ave., Trinidad, CO 81082, phone 719-846-2213, and Bent County Public Health at 701 Park Ave., Las Animas, CO 81054, phone 719-456-0517.