What community support and housing services does Boulder County offer?

Updated

Boulder County provides a range of community support programs through its website, bouldercounty.gov, covering housing, food, medical help, and services for specific groups. These programs are listed under the "Community Support & Housing" section of the site. Below is a breakdown of what is available, based on the site's own navigation.

Housing and Homelessness

The county lists several housing-related programs:

  • Available Rentals – a listing resource for finding rental units
  • Family Self-Sufficiency – a program combining housing assistance with goal-setting support
  • Homeless Solutions for Boulder County – coordinated services for people experiencing homelessness
  • Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) – rental assistance vouchers
  • Housing Developments – county-affiliated housing properties
  • Mobile Home Communities – resources for residents of mobile home parks
  • Program Supportive Housing – housing paired with support services

If you need rental help or are facing homelessness, the Housing Choice Vouchers and Homeless Solutions pages are the most direct starting points.

Food Assistance and Safety

Food-related support includes:

  • Food Assistance (SNAP) – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
  • Women, Infants and Children (WIC) – nutrition support for pregnant people, new parents, and young children
  • Food Safety – guidance on safe food handling

SNAP and WIC are the two main programs for direct food aid.

Money, Food, and Transportation Help

This grouping covers financial and practical assistance:

  • Aid to the Needy, Disabled, & Blind
  • Burial Assistance
  • Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
  • Child Care Resources
  • Child Support Services
  • Colorado Works (TANF) – temporary cash assistance
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Old Age Pension
  • Personal Finance Program
  • Mobility for All – transportation support

These programs address short-term financial strain, child care costs, and transportation barriers.

Medical Help

Medical assistance programs listed on the site:

  • Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) – health coverage for children
  • Health First Colorado (Medicaid) – the state's Medicaid program
  • Boulder County Enrollment Center – help signing up for coverage

The Enrollment Center is the entry point if you need help determining which program you qualify for.

Support for Specific Groups

The county organizes some services by population:

  • Older Adults – Adult Protection Services, Area Agency on Aging, Long-Term Services and Supports, Old Age Pension
  • Adults and Seniors – Community Action Programs, Workforce Boulder County
  • Children – Child Protection, Child Abuse or Neglect reporting, Post-Adoption Support
  • Families – Foster, Kinship, and Adoption services, WIC, Child Care Resources
  • Immigrant Resources
  • LGBTQIA+ – including services for older adults and youth (OASOS)
  • Youth – Healthy Youth Alliance, Pregnancy Prevention, Youth Substance Use Prevention

Substance Use and Mental Health

Programs in this area include:

  • Substance Use and Addiction
  • High Risk Drinking
  • Help for Someone Misusing Substances
  • Overdose Prevention & Response
  • Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership
  • Marijuana Health Impacts

How to Access These Services

Start at bouldercounty.gov and navigate to the "Community Support & Housing" section in the main menu. Each program page provides eligibility details, application steps, and contact information. For medical coverage questions, the Boulder County Enrollment Center is the recommended first contact. For housing emergencies, the Homeless Solutions for Boulder County page is the most direct resource.

Note that eligibility rules, waitlists, and funding availability vary by program and are not detailed in the site's top-level navigation. Check each program page for current conditions before applying.