Colorado LINKS for Mental Health (Linking Interagency Networks for Kids Services) is an initiative seeking to create partnerships between state agencies and community groups working in the kids' mental health system. The purpose of the guidebook is to enable organizations to identify other planning groups working on youth health, mental health and co-occurring issues, so as to create opportunities to collaboration and avoid duplication in efforts. Hopefully, the guidebook will serve as a useful resource to state agencies, foundations, providers, policymakers, consumers, planning organizations, and community organizations.
The city of Alamosa's public water system that supplies drinking water to the community became contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Alamosa's population is about 8,900 people. The outbreak resulted in 442 reported illnesses, 122 of which were laboratory-confirmed, and one death. In general, the city was historically in compliance with all health-based drinking water standards, with the exception of the arsenic standard. Although there were several possible causes of the outbreak, our conclusion is that an animal source of fecal contamination entered the Weber Reservoir, and then spread throughout the entire system.
This plan addresses a variety of important needs including defining core services and standards, developing a system for assessing priorities, examining the funding processes, enhancing our workforce and increasing efficiency in using technology. In addition, the plan emphasizes the importance of sharing responsibilities and decision making among state and local public health agencies, across programs and organizations, and in conjunction with local boards of health and county commissioners.