Week of March 16, 2023
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
CastlePinesNewsPress.net
VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 30
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SUMMER CAMP LISTINGS In this week’s paper!
Douglas County programs help people stay housed, address homelessness
Hill gives update on health department progress BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Programs for the Douglas County Health Department have been up and running for over two months and during a March 9 meeting, Executive Director Michael Hill gave an update on the independent health department. “I think the way this county approached the health department by phasing it in over the last year has really been to our benefit,” said Hill. As staff are developing relationships and creating partnerships with more organizations, the Douglas County Health Department has been working with the
Tiffany Marsitto, a supervisor with Douglas County’s Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team that responds to homelessness, speaks during a Feb. 9 news conference in Castle Rock alongside county Commissioner Abe Laydon, center, and Sheriff Darren Weekly.
‘The Care Compact’ assists those who have health conditions BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
People who end up living on the streets often struggle with mental illness, addiction or other health problems that can stand in the way of getting back on their feet.
In Douglas County, a program that started two years ago has helped dozens of people stay connected with the resources they need, including many people who struggled with housing. “We’re also hoping to reduce reliance or interaction with our crisis emergency and acute care services as well,” said Leandra Montoya, who works with The Care Compact. That’s the county’s program that works with hospitals, the county jail and organizations in the community to help keep people with
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
complex needs from falling through the cracks. One of the program’s main goals: to cut down on situations where people use services like law enforcement or transportation to an emergency room to deal with a crisis, an outcome that can be expensive — or, for first responders, time consuming. “So when we see folks who are frequently engaged with these systems, it’s a sign to us that they might SEE HOMELESS, P4
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