Response to COVID-19

If you need assistance with food, rent or paying other bills as a result of COVID-19, some emergency assistance may be available. This assistance is intended to help stabilize households that have been impacted by COVID-19. The level of assistance is based on your household’s situation, considering program limitations and guidelines. Your household may qualify for this assistance if your annual income is below $75,000.

Applications for food, medical and adult financial assistance, Colorado Works/ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), long term care and child care assistance can be made online at Colorado PEAK or via the MyCOBenefits app (download from the Google Play Store.)

Department of Human Services has seen a significant decrease in the number of applications that are being accessed at the remote locations. As a result we will be pulling all remote location boxes and applications. Applications for assistance will still be available at our two office locations in Rifle and in Glenwood Springs.

DHS has also seen a significant decrease in the amount of calls coming into our office. As a result we will be limiting phone coverage to business hours. Individuals will still be able to apply for emergency assistance via phone or paper application but please take note of our adjusted arrangements.

A long standing relationship with Colorado Mountain College is being updated and redesigned. GarCo Design Works will be closing and programming is being developed to meet the needs of our changing work force. Garfield County DHS appreciates the long standing relationship with Colorado Mountain College and looks forward to modernizing the workforce training they provide our clients.

Food resources during COVID-19

The following economic security services are being conducted by phone, mail, fax (970-625-0927 or 970-928-0465) or email until further notice:

• Child Support Services
• Food Assistance/SNAP
• Health First Colorado/Medicaid
• Child Care Assistance/CCCAP
• Old Age Pension
• Aid to the Needy Disabled
• Colorado Works/TANF
• Medicaid Transportation
• EBT Cards

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)

For all Colorado Child Care Assistance questions, please call The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) at (970) 625-5282, ext. 3251 or 3212. To establish a fiscal agreement with Garfield County, please call (970) 625-5282, ext. 3159. Please make sure you are communicating with your childcare provider on any and all attendance changes due to COVID-19 - children do not have to attend childcare in order to keep their spot.

Childcare licensing

Call (970) 987-7524 or (303) 866-5948 for more information about childcare licensing. Call the Early Childhood Network for childcare referrals at (970) 928-7111

Colorado Emergency Child Care Collaborative

Information and free care programs for families of essential workers are provided through the collaborative by licensed childcare providers through May 17. It is important for families to note that the supply of care is limited; if you can utilize other care or are able to work from home, you should do so. Emergency childcare provided through the collaborative is for when all other care options have been exhausted. Go to covidchildcarecolorado.com for more information.

• For licensed child care programs interested in participating, fill out this survey: https://covidchildcarecolorado.com/provider-survey-home
• For families interested in participating, fill out this survey: https://covidchildcarecolorado.com/parent-survey-home

To better navigate this process at the local level, please contact the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council at (719) 486-7273. It is critical that you contact the childcare program you are connected with prior to showing up for care.

Operating supplies are needed

A small amount of funding that can be used to purchase supplies for currently open or working to reopen licensed childcare programs is currently available. Contact the Early Childhood Network (970) 309-4393 for more information & before purchases are made.

If you are a childcare provider having trouble operating due to lack of supplies or if you have a surplus of supplies (e.g., cleaning supplies, gloves, wipes, etc.) you can share, please call Garfield County Human Services at (970) 945-9191, ext. 3065.

For the latest COVID-19 childcare updates from the Office of Early Childhood visit:
coloradoofficeofearlychildhood.force.com.

To report or update the status of childcare programs during COVID-19, go to https://www.coloradoshines.com/ncovregister.

Adult protection continues to operate as usual. Reports of abuse or neglect can be made at 1-844-264-5437.

• Child Welfare continues to operate. All face-to-face contacts will continue. Caseworkers will confirm that the family is not experiencing any symptoms of illness prior to contact.
• Court hearings are being held by phone/video conferencing. This information is being distributed by the court to caseworkers, attorneys and respondent parents via email.
• Family engagement meetings are scheduled through phone/video conferencing and information is being mailed to participants.
• Reports of abuse or neglect can be made at 1-844-264-5437

Garfield County Senior Programs is offering take-out meal services for the senior community from Parachute to Carbondale. Staff is working hard to meet the immediate needs of our vulnerable adults during this disruption due to COVID-19. There are multiple options for seniors seeking meal assistance.

Senior Programs-|