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This program has been provided to you in a joint effort of La Plata County and the National Association of Counties (NACo).  You can obtain a free discount drug card to be used at a retail participating pharmacy and save an average of 20% on your prescription drugs. No enrollment form, no membership fee.

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La Plata County Department of Human Services 
serves individuals and families in La Plata County through a variety of programs which include:


Adult Protection Services
Child and Family Services
Child Support Services
Counseling Services
Energy Assistance
Foster Care/Adoption Services
Medical, Food, Cash and Child Care Assistance 
Senior Services
Veteran Services

For information about any of the programs, to pick up applications or for scheduled appointments, La Plata County Department of Human Services is located at:

Tech Center Plaza

10 Burnett Court, First Floor

Durango, CO  81301

970-382-6150

Monday through Friday

8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Colorado PEAK-Program Eligibility and Application Kit

The fast and easy way to acces benefit information - anytime and anywhere.  PEAK is an online service for Coloradoans to screen and apply for medical, food, cash, and child care assistance programs.

At-risk elders are persons age 70 and older.  You must report suspected physical or sexual abuse, exploitation, and caretaker neglect to law enforcement within 24 hours of your observation of the mistreatment if you belong to one of these professional groups:

• Physicians, surgeons, physicians' assistants, osteopaths, physicians in training  
• Podiatrists, dentists, chiropractors
• Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse practitioners
• Hospital and long-term care facility personnel engaged in the admission, care, or treatment of patients
• Emergency medical service providers
• Occupational therapists, physical therapists
• Pharmacists
• Medical examiner and coroners
• Psychologists and other mental health professionals
• Social work practitioners
• Clergy members
• Law enforcement officials and personnel
• Fire protection personnel
• Court appointed guardians and conservators
• Personnel of banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and other lending or financial institutions
• Community-centered board staff
• A caretaker, staff member, or employee of or volunteer or consultant for a licensed or certified care facility, agency, home, or governing board, including but not limited to home health providers; and
• A caretaker, staff member, employee, or a volunteer or consultant for, a home care placement agency, as defined in Section 25-27.5-102(5), C.R.S.

Colorado Revised Statutes 19-3-304. Persons required to report child abuse or neglect.

(1) Except as otherwise provided by section 19-3-307 and sections 25-1-122 (4) (d) and 25-4-1404 (1) (d), C.R.S., any person specified in subsection (2) of this section who has reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect or who has observed the child being subjected to circumstances or conditions which would reasonably result in abuse or neglect shall immediately upon receiving such information report or cause a report to be made of such fact to the county department or local law enforcement agency.

(2) Persons required to report such abuse or neglect or circumstances or conditions shall include any:

(a) Physician or surgeon, including a physician in training;

(b) Child health associate;

(c) Medical examiner or coroner;

(d) Dentist;

(e) Osteopath;

(f) Optometrist;

(g) Chiropractor;

(h) Chiropodist or podiatrist;

(i) Registered nurse or licensed practical nurse;

(j) Hospital personnel engaged in the admission, care, or treatment of patients;

(k) Christian science practitioner;

(l) Public or private school official or employee;

(m) Social worker or worker in any facility or agency that is licensed or certified pursuant to part 1 of article 6 of title 26, C.R.S.;

(n) Mental health professional;

(o) Dental hygienist;

(p) Psychologist;

(q) Physical therapist;

(r) Veterinarian;

(s) Peace officer as described in section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S.;

(t) Pharmacist;

(u) Commercial film and photographic print processor as provided in subsection (2.5) of this section;

(v) Firefighter as defined in section 18-3-201 (1), C.R.S.;

(w) Victim's advocate, as defined in section 13-90-107 (1) (k) (II), C.R.S.;

(x) Licensed professional counselors;

(y) Licensed marriage and family therapists;

(z) Unlicensed psychotherapists;

(aa) (I) Clergy member.

(II) The provisions of this paragraph (aa) shall not apply to a person who acquires reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect during a communication about which the person may not be examined as a witness pursuant to section 13-90-107 (1) (c), C.R.S., unless the person also acquires such reasonable cause from a source other than such a communication.

(III) For purposes of this paragraph (aa), unless the context otherwise requires, "clergy member" means a priest, rabbi, duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church, member of a religious order, or recognized leader of any religious body.

(bb) Registered dietitian who holds a certificate through the commission on dietetic registration and who is otherwise prohibited by 7 CFR 246.26 from making a report absent a state law requiring the release of this information;

(cc) Worker in the state department of human services;

(dd) Juvenile parole and probation officers;

(ee) Child and family investigators, as described in section 14-10-116.5, C.R.S.;

(ff) Officers and agents of the state bureau of animal protection, and animal control officers.

(2.5) Any commercial film and photographic print processor who has knowledge of or observes, within the scope of his or her professional capacity or employment, any film, photograph, video tape, negative, or slide depicting a child engaged in an act of sexual conduct shall report such fact to a local law enforcement agency immediately or as soon as practically possible by telephone and shall prepare and send a written report of it with a copy of the film, photograph, video tape, negative, or slide attached within thirty-six hours of receiving the information concerning the incident.

(3) In addition to those persons specifically required by this section to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect and circumstances or conditions which might reasonably result in abuse or neglect, any other person may report known or suspected child abuse or neglect and circumstances or conditions which might reasonably result in child abuse or neglect to the local law enforcement agency or the county department.

(3.5) No person, including a person specified in subsection (1) of this section, shall knowingly make a false report of abuse or neglect to a county department or local law enforcement agency.

(4) Any person who willfully violates the provisions of subsection (1) of this section or who violates the provisions of subsection (3.5) of this section:

(a) Commits a class 3 misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-501, C.R.S.;

(b) Shall be liable for damages proximately caused thereby