Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is one of 16 cabinet-level departments whose executive director is appointed by the governor. Jill Hunsaker Ryan is the department’s executive director. The department serves Coloradans by providing public health and environmental protection services that promote healthy people in healthy places. Public health professionals use evidence-based practices in the public health and environmental fields to create the conditions in which residents can be healthy. In addition to maintaining and enhancing our core programs, the department continues to identify and respond to emerging issues affecting Colorado's public and environmental health. The department pursues its mission through broad-based health and environmental protection programs and activities. These include chronic disease prevention; control of infectious diseases; family planning; injury and suicide prevention; general promotion of health and wellness; provision of health statistics and vital records; health facilities licensure and certification; laboratory and radiation services; emergency preparedness; air and water quality protection; hazardous waste and solid waste management; pollution prevention; and consumer protection.