About MDPH
The Metro Denver Partnership for Health (MDPH)'s mission is to improve population health regionally with collective action.
MDPH is led by eight metro Denver public health partners (LPHAs) — Adams County Health Department, Arapahoe County Public Health, Boulder County Public Health, Broomfield Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, Douglas County Health Department, Jefferson County Public Health, and the Public Health Institute at Denver Health — that serve Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties.
MDPH is a partnership between public health, health systems, Regional Accountable Entities, human services, and regional health alliances. MDPH works alongside regional leaders in behavioral health, environment, philanthropy, local government, education, and others to achieve its goals of promoting health and well-being across the region.
MDPH’s work impacts roughly 3 million Coloradans, half of the state’s population, who live in this region.
Resources for New Members
For information about MDPH's COVID-19 work, visit the COVID-19 Resources page.
MDPH's Work
MDPH’s collaborative efforts include cross-department work groups in the following areas:
Behavioral Health. Target stigma reduction and improved coordination between systems of care and prevention of behavioral health issues and to engage non-profit hospitals in addressing behavioral health.
Climate Change and Health. Increase awareness of the impact of climate change on health across the metro Denver region through capacity building, policy development, and communications and outreach.
Data Sharing. Use, share and analyze cross-jurisdictional data and to gain access to a local resource that uses electronic health records for public health surveillance (CHORDS).
Early Childhood. Achieve equity, health, and well-being by advancing family-friendly policies and paid caregiver leave within jurisdictions and throughout the region through shared communications, learning, and strategic influencing.
Health Equity. Achieve health equity and environmental justice across the metro Denver region through capacity building, policy development and information sharing.
- Members of the Metro Denver Partnership for Health’s Health Equity Workgroup compiled a guidebook for public health practice, drawing on resources members use in their work and trainings they have attended or provided. The exercises included in the guidebook were tested in local public health agencies, including Boulder County Public Health, Denver’s Department of Public Health and Environment, Jefferson County Public Health, the Public Health Institute at Denver Health, and Tri-County Health Department. The guidebook is a tool for public health practitioners in Colorado who are serious about walking their health equity talk but aren’t quite sure how to get started. It aims to prepare its users to close gaps in health status that result from systemic, avoidable, and unjust policies and practices that create barriers to opportunity for certain people.
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From December 2021 to June 2022, MDPH partnered with six community-based organizations to help reduce stigma associated with mental health within Denver metro communities. Read the Mental Health Community Ambassador Program's overview and final report (leer en español).
Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL). Reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, identify data sources to inform efforts and engage non-profit hospitals in promoting HEAL.
Partnership Alignment. Engage health systems and human services partners to align existing efforts to address priority health issues regionally and identify opportunities for collaboration including through the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families.
Partnership members collaborate across their departments and jurisdictions on programs and grants in a range of other areas, in addition to broad areas of effort directed by work groups. Other issues include radon exposure prevention, HPV vaccine coverage, tuberculosis control and breastfeeding promotion.
Additional Documents
- A formal roadmap outlines MDPH’s structure, goals, and activities.
- A poster that communicates the structure, goals, and successes of the Metro Denver Partnership for Health in an easy-to-follow format.
- The MDPH Partnership Charter
The Colorado Health Institute has worked with the Metro Denver Partnership for Health since 2014 as a convener, facilitator and strategic advisor. Please contact Nicole Weber for more information about MDPH.
