Assessment and Planning Overview

CHAPS 2.0

All local public health agencies in Colorado are required to create a public health improvement plan every five years. These plans are reviewed and approved by each agency's local board of health. They are then submitted to the Office of Public Health Practice, Planning, and Local Partnerships (OPHP) at CDPHE.  

The Colorado Health Assessment and Planning System (CHAPS) provides guidance for public health agencies to develop community health assessments and community health improvement plans. Following the CHAPS process will ensure that your agency meets the requirements of the Colorado Public Health Act. When you are ready to submit your plan to OPHP, you can do so using this online form. 

Guidance and resources were originally created in 2010 and updated in 2019. Updates were based on feedback from local public health agencies (LPHAs) and other end users. Current guidance integrates best practices in health equity, community engagement, and communications. The purpose is to improve how LPHAs and their partners address complex public health and environmental issues. 

CHAPS training materials

• Introduction to the Colorado Health Assessment and Planning System (CHAPS) (Video training, 4 minutes)
• Getting Started in your Planner Role (Brief interactive training)

Submitting your assessment and plan

Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans should be submitted to the Office of Public Health Practice, Planning and Local Partnerships, using this Google Form. The plan will need to be reviewed and approved by your local board of health prior to submission. If you are submitting a plan as a partnership, each agency's Board of Health will need to approve the plan. 

If you have any questions about submitting your plan or about local board of health approval, contact us at ophp@state.co.us 

Feedback for continuous improvement

CHAPS was co-created by state and local public health practitioners. It is continually improved by feedback from LPHAs and other end users. Please feel free to share your suggestions for improvement or new resources by contacting us at ophp@state.co.us.

Acknowledgements

A collection of resources, including local public health agency input and guidance, were to inform the steps and recommended resources for each CHAPS phase. We would like to acknowledge and thank the following: local public health agency staff; CDPHE; Office of Planning, Partnership and Improvement; Office of Health Equity; Maternal and Child Health Unit; Oral Health Unit; Communities That Care program; the Center for Health and Environmental Data; County Health Rankings and Roadmaps; Center for Disease Control; Health Impact Partners, National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO); Public Health Accreditation Board; Frameworks Institute; and The Community Toolbox.

Thank you to local and state public health agency staff for your contributions to CHAPS!