Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Across 2024-2025, the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials (CALPHO), in partnership with the Colorado Health Institute (CHI), the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), and local public health agencies (LPHAs), conducted a statewide data assessment to better understand local public health data capacity. Using a mixed-methods approach that included journey mapping workshops and key informant interviews, the assessment identified key barriers, strengths, and actionable opportunities to improve Colorado’s local public health data ecosystem.

Findings from the assessment highlighted a strong need for accessible resources and direct technical assistance designed to meet agencies where they are and support immediate application within local contexts. In direct response to barriers and opportunities identified through the assessment, CALPHO has developed a range of practical capacity-building support resources and launched a data assistance program to help agencies use data more effectively.

This session will highlight applied tools, customizable support services, and real-world examples of how local public health agencies are using these supports in practice. Topics will include CALPHO’s Data Modernization Toolkit & Framework, direct technical assistance, and collaborative peer learning opportunities designed to support shared learning and approaches that can be adapted across agencies of varying size and capacity.

Through local public health use cases, attendees will leave with a clear understanding of what shared resources currently exist, how they can be used within their own agencies, and how to engage in ongoing statewide data modernization efforts moving forward.