Human Services

Our Mission             
The mission of the Department of Human Services is to provide prevention, protection, advocacy and support services to families, children and adults so they can maximize their quality of life, well-being and potential.

La Plata County's Human Services Department is dedicated to serving people. It consists of ten units responsible for administering a variety of programs, many of which are mandated and regulated by state and federal law. These programs offer a wide-range of public assistance to children, elderly, disabled and low-income residents.

ONLINE APPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS

PEAK is an online service for Coloradans to screen and apply for:

Medical, Food, Cash, and Child Care Assistance Programs
CO Peak Logo_thumb

Colorado Child Support Services Application Options
cse_image

Colorado's Health Insurance Marketplace

Lower your health insurance and get access to our statewide network of free, in-person assistance.
c4hc_primarylogo_rgb_0

Health Care Resources in La Plata County

A Quick Guide

Human Services Department Programs

Adult Protection Services:   

The purpose of the Adult Services program is to provide advocacy, support and protection services to seniors and at-risk adults so they can enhance their quality of life and be safe.

As of July, 2014 certain professionals are mandated to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation of At-risk Elders (any person 70 years or older) to Law Enforcement within 24 hours of observing or becoming aware of mistreatment.  Mandatory Reporting expanded in July, 2016 to include At-Risk Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD). An at-risk adult with IDD is a person who is eighteen years of age or older who has an onset of an intellectual and developmental disability before the person is 22 years old.  An adult with IDD has an I.Q. of 70 or below and/or has significant limitations in the ability to socialize, provide self-care, or communicate.  IDD includes autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, Down Syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and other disorders.  all reports of self-neglect are to be made to APS.

The Colorado Department of Human Services, Adult Protective Services (Colorado APS) unit has made available an on-line training program for mandatory reporters and other members of the community.  This training will take approximately 30-40 minutes to complete with access to printing results of the completed course.

You can access the training from the Colorado Department of Human Services Adult Protection https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdhs/report-abuse-older-adult

Child and Family Services:  

The purpose of the Child and Family Services program is to provide protection, support and therapeutic services to at-risk children and their families so they can have a safe and permanent home. 

Child Support Services:   

Assists parents in locating non-custodial parents, establishing paternity, establishing court orders for financial and medical support and support payment collections. 

Medical, Food, Cash and Child Care Assistance Programs:  

The purpose of the Financial and Support Services program is to provide resource referral, financial assistance and child support services to individuals and families so they can support themselves

Foster Care and Adoption Services: 

The purpose of foster care is to place at-risk children in caring, supportive foster families and provides resources to foster families to promote successful and positive relationships.         
     
Senior Services:  

The office of La Plata County Senior Services is located at the Durango/La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Avenue in Durango. The Durango/La Plata Senior Center offers a variety of services including nutritional meals, a home chore program, recreational and social activities, information, referral and outreach.

The Home Chore Program provides assistance to seniors for minor safety, heavy cleaning, yard work and snow shoveling. Please call  (970) 382-6445 for more information and coordination of services.

Nutritional meals are served at the Senior Center at 12:00 noon daily. The suggested donation price is $3.00 for adults age 60 and over. Meal reservations are required. Please call (970) 382-6445 by 10:00 daily for meal reservations.

For additional information about senior services please call the Durango/La Plata Senior Center at (970) 382-6445.

Veterans Services Office:  

Provides assistance in accessing veterans benefits and programs, including providing information and referral services to veterans with regard to medical assistance, pension awards, home loans, and other benefits.   

For additional information, please call Greg Dotson, Veteran Services Officer at (970) 759-0117 or via email. 
 
For additional information about any of these programs, please call the Human Services Department (970) 382-6150.

To make a complaint about Human Services, please call the La Plata County office at 970-382-6150 and ask to speak with the Office Manager.  
 
Record Requests:

To request records involving reports of child abuse or neglect - please contact the La Plata County Department of Human Services (LPCDHS) Office Manager at Front.Desk@lpcgov.org or by submitting the form you can access here New Submission (laplata.co.us)   


LPCDHS is located at 10 Burnett Ct, Durango, CO 81301, and the phone number for LPCDHS is: 970-382-6150.

To File a Complaint:

General Complaints may be submitted by completing the online complaint form in English or Spanish

Child Welfare Complaints may be submitted by:

Completing the Child Welfare complaint form in English or Spanish
Calling: (303)866-3275
Emailing: cdhs_clientservices@state.co.us
Or mail to:

            Colorado Department of Human Services
            1575 Sherman Street, 8th floor
            Denver, CO 80203 

La Plata County DHS Civil Rights Plan

La Plata County DHS Civil Rights Complaint Form

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:

1. Mail:
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
Alexandria, VA 22314; or

2. Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email:

FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.