Enforcement of Public Health Orders

Overview

Under Colorado law, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has the authority to close or limit access to theaters, schools, and other public places. The executive director also may forbid gatherings of people, or may seek isolation or quarantine of individuals, when necessary to protect the public health, and to investigate and control the causes of epidemic and communicable diseases affecting the public health.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Emergency Operations Center has detailed information connected to enforcement of public health orders.

Local Orders and Variances

Single District in Single County Local Orders and Variance Process:

1. Local Public Health Authority (LPHA) collaborates with schools/districts and the local school board in the county to draft a variance request using the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) factors weighted in determining whether to grant a variance.
2. LPHA submits the draft variance request to the county commissioners who would need to pass a resolution to support the variance.
3. The LPHA or the County Office then submits the variance request to CDPHE using the established CDPHE online variance form.
4. CDPHE reviews variance request and provides feedback and/or accepts the Board of County Commissioners variance.

Single District in More than One County:

• CDPHE is reviewing a potential regional variance process.
• In the meantime, a district would need to work with each of the LPHAs within their district boundaries using the process above.