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Public Health & Environment

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Empowering Denver's Communities to Live Better, Longer

The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) is Denver’s nationally accredited public health agency. We empower Denver’s communities to live better, longer by providing people with opportunities that support their well-being and by improving services that enrich our community.

Overdose Prevention

Substance misuse and overdose are an increasing community health concern across the city of Denver. The DDPHE Community & Behavioral Health division is home to the Substance Misuse Program, which aims to prevent substance misuse, improve treatment access and retention, and reduce harm associated with drug use.

Denver's Food Resources

All residents should have reliable access to healthy food. Learn how the city can help residents with food insecurity, resources for setting up a food business, food safety, ways to find healthy food in your neighborhood and information about our commitment to public health.

Immunization

Vaccines and timely immunization are important for both children and adults and part of keeping our community safe and healthy.

Animal Shelter

Denver Animal Protection (DAP) empowers Denver’s communities to live better, longer by protecting the safety, health, and welfare of Denver’s animals and people, providing humane care to companion animals, reuniting lost pets with their owners, connecting pets to loving homes, and enforcing Denver County animal ordinances.

Birth and Death Certificates

The Birth and Death Certificates program at Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) provides certified birth certificates for the state of Colorado and certified death certificates for Denver County.

Board of Public Health & Environment

The Board of Public Health & Environment consists of nine members, who serve without pay, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by Denver City Council. The Board is the local board of health for Denver.

Community & Behavioral Health

Community & Behavioral Health (CBH) empowers Denver’s communities to live better, longer by informing, educating, and empowering the community to live a healthy lifestyle, to reduce chronic disease through awareness and prevention programs, and to implement population-based strategies that address social determinants of health.

COVID-19 Information

Access information about testing, vaccines, current Public Health Orders, and caseloads, as well as information for businesses and residents to stay safe and healthy.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Develops, plans, conducts trainings, and participates in disaster exercises with our city, state, federal, non-profit, and private sector partners to prepare for environmental or public health emergencies or disasters that could impact Denver.

Environmental Quality

Environmental Quality (EQ) empowers Denver’s communities to live better, longer by creating and sustaining a healthy environment through science, service, and policy.

Epidemiology and Disease Intervention

The Epidemiology and Disease Intervention team investigates outbreaks of communicable diseases to reduce transmission of illness within the community and provides resources to partners on disease control and mitigation.

Health Equity

The Health Equity Practice works to align activities and investments, advise program-level efforts, and advocate for policies and practices across the City and County of Denver that advance the strategic goal of ensuring everyone benefits from the best possible health. Includes health equity data.

Medical Examiner

The Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) empowers Denver’s communities to live better, longer by conducting independent investigations using advanced forensic science in the service of families, communities and the criminal justice system.

Public Health Dashboards and Reports

View various dashboards, data and reports created for the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment.

Public Health Investigations

Public Health Investigations (PHI) empowers Denver’s communities to live better, longer by ensuring that businesses and programs in Denver are complying with applicable laws while providing public education to consumers and technical assistance to businesses.

Public Health & Environment Funding Opportunities

DDPHE has regular funding opportunities to partner with businesses and community organizations to empower Denver's communities to live better, longer.

Public Health AmeriCorps Community Health Worker Apprenticeships

Denver’s Department of Public Health & Environment provides internship opportunities for students interested in pursuing a career in public health, or for those pursuing a capstone or practicum project.

Student Internship Opportunities

What You Say Matters

Stigma can be damaging language or actions that hurt people experiencing mental health conditions. Stigma happens in everyday conversations. You may not even know you’re hurting someone and stigma can be a big barrier to getting help. But what you say matters and reducing stigma starts with you and your community.

About Us

Denver's Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) is dedicated to advancing Denver's environmental and public health goals. DDPHE works collaboratively with city, state and community partners. Our mission is to empower Denver's communities to live better, longer.

Our Partners

DDPHE is a resource to our partners in other City of Denver agencies, and throughout the state, and we proactively work together to break down silos on every level. Our diversity of programming and services means we need partnerships to make an even bigger impact on the city we serve. We are proud to partner with regional public health agencies to protect and improve the lives of the people in our community.

Public Health Institute at Denver Health

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment partners with Public Health Institute at Denver Health to provide clinical care and educational opportunities to Denver residents.

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment serves Coloradans by providing public health and environmental protection services that promote healthy people in healthy places. Public health professionals use evidence-based practices in the public health and environmental fields to create the conditions in which residents can be healthy. In addition to maintaining and enhancing our core programs, the department continues to identify and respond to emerging issues affecting Colorado's public and environmental health.

Metro Denver Partnership for Health

DDPHE is a member of the Metro Denver Partnership for Health (MDPH), whose mission is to improve population health regionally with collective action.

MDPH is a a collaboration of regional leaders from the seven-county Denver metro area partnering to achieve their common goals of advancing health equity across the region.

MDPH is led by eight metro Denver public health partners (LPHAs) — Adams County Health Department, Arapahoe County Public Health, Boulder County Public Health, Broomfield Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, Douglas County Health Department, Jefferson County Public Health, and the Public Health Institute at Denver Health — that serve Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties.

MDPH’s work impacts roughly 3 million Coloradans, half of the state’s population, who live in this region.

Big Cities Health Coalition

Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) is a forum for the leaders of America’s largest metropolitan health departments to exchange strategies and jointly address issues to promote and protect the health and safety of the 61 million people they serve. Together, these public health officials directly affect the health and well-being of nearly one in five Americans.

Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials

Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials (CALPHO)is the professional association representing the leadership, staff and partners of Colorado’s local public health agencies. CALPHO supports their vital, community-focused public health activities by encouraging system-level improvements.

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Latest News

DDPHE Blog: Avoid Wildlife Contact this Spring to Prevent Rabies

Published on April 17, 2024

Spring has sprung, which means more Denverites are venturing outdoors and encountering wildlife. While these creatures may seem adorable, they can pose significant risks, including the transmission of diseases such as rabies. Denver Animal Protection (DAP) encourages residents to resist the urge to interact with or touch wild animals and instead prioritize safety for both humans and animals.

Tagged as: , Announcements, News, Press release, Public Health & Environment

DDPHE Blog: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Published on April 16, 2024

Every May, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month. We use this annual observance as an opportunity to raise awareness around mental health by providing support, fighting stigma, and education. Learn more about some of the ways the DDPHE Community and Behavioral Health Division is addressing mental health issues in the Denver community.

Tagged as: , Announcements, News, Press release, Public Health & Environment

DDPHE Recognizes STI Awareness Week and Encourages Testing

Published on April 16, 2024

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise, not only in Denver, but across the country. As STIs continue to pose a significant public health challenge, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) is using STI Awareness Week (April 14-20) as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of prevention and education.

Tagged as: , Announcements, News, Press release, Public Health & Environment

Contact Us

101 W. Colfax Ave., Suite 800
Denver, CO 80202

Phone: 720-865-5484
Fax: 720-865-5530
Email: DDPHEinformation@Denvergov.org

For COVID-19 related questions, please email: DOCNews@denvergov.org

The City and County of Denver is committed to making city government open, accountable, and accessible to the public. The City’s approach to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) is an important part of its pledge to transparency to build trust with our residents. These guidelines help City agencies and departments provide the public with efficient access to documents and records pursuant to the Colorado Revised Statutes, C.R.S. §24-72-205(6). Learn more about CORA.

Please use the form below to submit your CORA request. If you need to request an autopsy report, please use the Autopsy Report Request Form.

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