Garfield County Human Services staff is preparing for changes to how individuals can qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance and Medicaid benefits. Work requirements are now a prerequisite for some populations to qualify for food assistance. For certain populations, some individuals applying for Medicaid eligibility may be dependent on work requirements and re-determination must be completed every six months, rather than the traditional 12 months. Garfield County Human Services Director Sharon Longhurst-Pritt told the Board of County Commissioners that a large increase in workload is anticipated due to changes stemming from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

The Garfield County Child Safety Fair is again welcoming families to Rifle on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The annual event, which takes place at Rifle Middle School, 753 Railroad Ave., provides parents and children with entertainment and information on keeping kids safe. The fair features free food, giveaways, music and dancers, and families will also receive information on how to connect with local safety resources. For more information, please contact Garfield County Foster Care Coordinator Lindsay Shaffer at 970-625-5282, ext. 3108.

Garfield County has granted $35,000 to the West Mountain Regional Health Alliance (WMRHA) toward funding its 2024 operations, which include expanding access to affordable, high-quality healthcare; improving food security; homelessness prevention; and advocating for underserved residents in Garfield, Pitkin, and Eagle counties. West Mountain Regional Health Alliance is a collaboration between local government agencies, healthcare providers, and regional organizations and nonprofits. WMRHA Executive Director Cristina Gair told the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) that the alliance’s mission is to build an integrated healthcare system that provides optimal health for everyone in the west mountain region. She added that the alliance

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and River Bridge Regional Center plants pinwheels at the Garfield County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs each year for every child who came through the center the previous year. This year, 271 pinwheels are being planted and River Bridge is looking for volunteers to help. The special planting activity takes place at noon on Saturday, April 1, at the courthouse, 109 8th Street, near the veterans memorial. The blue pinwheel is the symbol for Child Abuse Prevention Month. Anyone looking to spread awareness can also have a small pinwheel garden planted at their home or

Nominations are now being accepted for 2023 Senior Awards and Friend of the Seniors in Garfield County. All nominations and letters must be submitted by Friday, March 24. The awards ceremony takes place on Saturday, April 22. Nominations

Families are invited to attend the Garfield County Child Safety Fair Friday, April 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy free food and giveaways, learn safety information, and find local resources for children and families in our communities. In addition, there will be music, dancers, and other entertainment. The Child Safety Fair takes place at the Rifle Middle School. This event is fun for the whole family, and is entirely free. So come on out, enjoy a free lunch, and you may win some cool prizes. For more information, contact Lindsay Zimmer at 970-625-5282 ext. 3108 or by email

Garfield County’s Link to Success program offers training and assistance for people seeking to improve their job skills and increase competency with technology, helping them to earn employment. Previously offered only for clients utilizing the Colorado Works cash-assistance program, the Link course will soon be available for anyone taking part in a Garfield County Department of Human Services (DHS) program. Clients of DHS can sign up for Link beginning in early May. Anyone utilizing Colorado Works is required by the state to participate in 22-33 activity hours a week to gain or further their skill set. Link is a four-week

The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) reports that calls to the Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, 844-CO-4-Kids (844.264.5437), have rebounded after a significant drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the year prior to the pandemic, the total number of calls to the hotline was 219,478. In 2020, CDHS saw a dramatic drop in calls to 193,448 because many mandatory reporters were not seeing kids in person at schools, child care or doctors appointments. In 2021, calls increased 8% to 208,949. The overall uptick is, in part, due a 20% increase in calls from education professionals. As Coloradans

Garfield County has awarded a contract to Aspen Chef to provide lunches for seniors in eastern end of the county. The senior meals program had suspended its lunches on Jan. 20 in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, while a new catering option was sought. The contract starts on Feb. 21, 2022, and new meals services are slated to begin the following day, Tuesday, Feb. 22. Aspen Chef, which is owned and operated out of Basalt by Chef Alan Kokish, has prior experience providing senior meals to both Eagle and Pitkin counties. The contract to provide meals is not to exceed $47,500

A program that provides take-home meals for Garfield County seniors in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale is suspending on January 20 while the county solicits caterers to continue the service. The popular Grab n’ Go lunches program have been well-utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. The county is seeking caterers to provide the meals to keep the program in operation and has contacted seniors who are affected by the service suspension. Seniors in eastern Garfield County can still attend congregate meal sites from Parachute to New Castle. “During the pandemic, we have been providing heat-at-home meals in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. It

Garfield County is partnering with the Garfield County School District 16 to bring limited Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) services to the Family Resource Center in Parachute. Appointments are being taken on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The new Parachute location offers another option for families to attend appointments without having to travel to Rifle or Glenwood Springs. TANF provides temporary assistance and intensive support to help eligible families secure employment and attain self-sufficiency. Eligible clients include women who are pregnant, and families that have one or more children in the home that have struggled to maintain economic stability due to

The Garfield County Department of Human Services (DHS) continues to provide essential services for people seeking assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic Though the county’s emergency general assistance has now ended, disaster temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) is still available for individuals who are eligible.

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County Senior Programs is suspending all group programs operations, beginning Saturday, March 14, due to risks presented by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The closures include congregate meals at our seven meal sites.

Sharon Longhurst-Pritt has been named the new Garfield County Human Services director. An employee of Garfield County since 2006, she is excited to oversee and support the Human Services Department.

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Two new compressed natural gas (CNG) vans are entering service for the Garfield County Senior Program Traveler system. Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) and Garfield County received several grants for them, and the county provided supplemental funding as well. The two vans are 14-passenger vehicles, which provide service to senior citizens and disabled travelers in the county. An event is planned November 3 at 11:00 a.m. to celebrate placing the new CNG vans into service with the Traveler program, which will replace two aging vans in the fleet. The public is invited and welcome for the

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – There is a well-worn, enormous fuzzy stuffed animal in Meghan Hurley’s office. It is a duck, and its yellow, friendly girth is the size of a watermelon. This duck has heard it all. It has quietly accepted and supported many tears and anguish from children in the 9th and 5th Judicial District service areas who have been abused, sometimes sexually, sometimes by persons who are their caregivers. Hurley is a therapist, and her title is CORE Sexual Abuse Treatment Provider, for River Bridge Regional Center in Glenwood Springs. The well-loved, fuzzy duck cannot respond and give

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – A new opportunity offered locally by the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver (GSSW) gives students the ability to study for their Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees without leaving Garfield County. The program has three features to attract students to the program in addition to local accessibility for a master’s level education: Western Colorado MSW students will pay tuition that is substantially lower than what GSSW’s on-campus students pay, there are eight $8,000 child welfare stipends offered for tuition assistance, and the $65 application fee will be waived for prospective students

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Promoting Safe and Stable Families, a federally-funded grant program, brings the nationally recognized Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP) to families in Garfield County. The Nurturing Parenting Program enhances empathy, self worth, empowerment, and discipline, while parents and children have fun and grow closer as a family. The NPP integrates parents with their children in some of the class sessions in the curriculum. Parents are invited to register their families for the 15-week class, which begins in January, 2013. Space is limited, and the program is offered at no cost to participants. Registration will occur during the first

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Three boys in Garfield County have only had each other. And now, they will have more than that, they will have an adoptive father and mother to complete their family and their dreams. The adoption of these three brothers will be complete this month, a celebration not only their own, but also one heralding National Adoption Day. “We are very happy for this adoption to happen,” said Mikki Baumann, Garfield County child welfare caseworker. “But while these kids are getting a new family, and we don’t have any other children awaiting adoption in Garfield County presently,

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) will be available for eligible households starting November 1, 2012, and running through April 30, 2013. Qualifying limited-income households may receive assistance to pay a portion of their home energy bills. For the 2012/2013 heating season, Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties have contracted with Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado to administer the program. Discover Goodwill has administered the LEAP program for El Paso County for more than 15 years, and has developed an effective process for managing approximately 20,000 applications per heating season. “By contracting with Goodwill, households

What: Child Safety Fair When: Wednesday, April 11, 2012, 1-6 pm Where: Garfield County Fairgrounds, 1001 Railroad Avenue, Rifle, CO Cost: Free Garfield County families are invited to the 2012 Child Safety Fair April 11 at the Garfield County Fairgrounds. The event presents community and personal safety information for children, car seat safety checks, tooth varnishing for youth and much more! In addition, the event features preschool registrations and community resources for families offered by many agencies in Garfield County. Participating agencies include Garfield County Public Health, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Garfield School District RE-2, Advocate Safehouse Project, Childhelp Colorado

It wasn’t altogether the mountains. It may not have been the outdoors at all. It is the people here that attracted Mary Baydarian to accept the position of Director of Human Services of Garfield County. And it is what the people are doing here that most interested Baydarian. “What brought me here is the community involvement I found,” said Baydarian. “Public agencies and non-profits work very well together here, and they have a passion for helping our more vulnerable population. The organizations and the partnerships here accomplish things together that wouldn’t have been achievable separately.” That is where Baydarian sees

Families in Garfield County have always had high family values, helping them weather much change, says Lynn Renick, director of Garfield County Human Services. Renick is retiring January 4, after directing the county agency which oversees family interests locally for 16 years. “When I came to Garfield County at the end of 1994, the county was mostly rural and western, and while family values haven’t changed, the environment for families is different now. There are more opportunities and resources for families than 16 years ago. “But while some things are better now, other things aren’t. The economy 16 years ago