Public Health
Strengthening Public Health Across Colorado Through Collaboration
Public health challenges require more than individual programs. They require connected systems, trusted partnerships and a workforce equipped to respond to changing needs.
The Care Collaborative works alongside state agencies, local public health organizations, healthcare systems, academic partners and community organizations to strengthen Colorado's public health infrastructure. Through scalable education, clinical consultation and collaborative networks, we help move evidence-based knowledge quickly to the professionals who serve communities across the state.
Whether responding to emerging infectious diseases, strengthening rural healthcare capacity or preparing the next generation of public health leaders, our work helps ensure expertise reaches where it is needed most.
Colorado counties served by The Care Collaborative in 2025
Building Public Health Infrastructure
Public health depends on strong connections between clinical care, public health practice, education and community organizations. The Care Collaborative serves as part of Colorado's connective infrastructure, creating systems that allow knowledge, expertise and best practices to move efficiently across sectors.
Our collaborative approach supports:
- Rapid dissemination of emerging public health guidance
- Workforce education and professional development
- Cross-sector partnerships between healthcare and public health
- Rural and frontier provider support
- Evidence-based program evaluation
- Sustainable statewide learning networks
Partnering with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
The Care Collaborative partners with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) to deliver timely education that helps public health professionals and clinicians respond to emerging challenges.
Through ECHO, public health experts connect directly with healthcare professionals across the state to share current guidance, discuss real-world cases and build confidence in applying best practices.
Recent collaborations have addressed:
- Syphilis response and screening
- COVID-19 response
- Colorado Updates in Public Health
- Childhood lead poisoning prevention
- Breastfeeding support
- Cancer survivorship navigation
- Environmental health
When Colorado experienced a dramatic increase in syphilis cases, The Care Collaborative partnered with CDPHE to launch Syphilis in Colorado: A Call to Action. The four-week ECHO series equipped 170 frontline professionals with practical strategies for screening, diagnosis and treatment, significantly improving participants' confidence in testing for syphilis.
Responding to Emerging Public Health Needs
Public health is constantly evolving. The Care Collaborative is a flexible, scalable model that helps organizations respond quickly to changing priorities.
Examples include:
Long COVID
Working with the Colorado Multidisciplinary Translation Network (CO-MTN), UCHealth and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), The Care Collaborative developed a statewide education and consultation model that combines self-paced learning, live ECHO sessions, Communities of Practice and eConsults to support primary care teams managing patients with Long COVID.
Rural Health
By connecting rural clinicians with specialty expertise through ECHO and eConsults, we help reduce geographic barriers to care, strengthen local provider capacity and improve access for communities across Colorado. In 2025, The Care Collaborative reached providers in 57 of Colorado's 64 counties, including 95% of rural counties.
Corrections Health
Through the Peer Education Program (PEP), developed with the Colorado Department of Corrections, incarcerated individuals are trained as peer health educators, expanding health literacy and supporting chronic disease management, communicable disease prevention and successful community reentry.
Pictured: PEP Colorado team, Canon City
Developing Colorado's Public Health Workforce
Strong public health systems depend on a skilled workforce. The Care Collaborative partners with the Colorado School of Public Health to provide students with hands-on experience in program implementation, evaluation, research and policy translation. Students contribute directly to projects that improve healthcare delivery while preparing for careers in public health.
Our own interdisciplinary team also brings public health expertise into every aspect of program design, evaluation and continuous improvement, helping translate research into practical solutions for communities across Colorado.
Why Public Health Partners Work With Us
The Care Collaborative is a proven, scalable model that helps public health organizations:
Deliver timely education on emerging health issues
Reach healthcare professionals across Colorado
Build workforce knowledge and confidence
Foster collaboration across healthcare and public health
Evaluate impact using data and implementation science
Expand statewide capacity through sustainable learning networks
Together, we help strengthen the systems that improve health for all Coloradans
Partner With Us Today
We collaborate with state agencies, local public health departments, community organizations and healthcare systems to design programs that improve access, strengthen workforce capacity and address Colorado's evolving public health priorities.
Contact us to explore public health partnership opportunities.
