Chapter 11

Community Health for Colorado:

Goal:  Enhance focus and depth in applied research and outreach education in a coordinated set of programs related to community health in Colorado and be recognized by state agencies, nongovernmental agencies, and citizens within Colorado as a leading source of information and activities promoting the health of individuals, families, and communities.  This will include research, education, and active statewide and community programs in health promotion and chronic disease prevention, food security for limited resource families, food safety, early childhood and out-of-school age care, strengthening families and marriage, family economics and credit management, and healthy home environments.

Strategic Initiatives: 

• Align county family and consumer science agent responsibilities so they can specialize in two or three aspects of community health to be effective teachers.

• Appoint masters-trained county agents as joint appointments with campus departments to strengthen professional development and program cohesion.

• Align staff appointments to reflect Colorado's cultural diversity.

Critical Resource Growth:

• Add a campus Health and Exercise specialist to provide at least one faculty leader for each of the specialty community health areas identified (7).

• Add sufficient Family and Consumer Science county extension agents to provide access in all counties served by Cooperative Extension.