Almost 1.5 million Colorado adults say the changing climate has harmed their health or the health of a family member, according to the 2025 Colorado Health Access Survey.
Acclimate Colorado Partners Address Climate and Health Impacts Around the State
April 20, 2026
Behavioral Health
Climate and Health
Colorado Health Access Survey
Rural Health
The top two effects were breathing problems and worsened mental health.
Many organizations across the state are actively working on how to engage with people about climate change and health. Acclimate Colorado, a project of CHI, helps communities across the state prepare for and respond to climate-related risks and events.
Acclimate Colorado provides practical information, tools, and resources to communities to protect health. Many organizations participate. Below are two programs spearheaded by Acclimate partners that help address respiratory health and mental health.
The Healthy Homes Program
Climate change and the associated increase in extreme weather are increasing the demand for healthy housing. La Plata County Public Health Department has operated the Healthy Homes program since 2024. The program aims to improve health by ensuring that homes provide safe and healthy environments with clean air, safe water, pest control, and reduced exposure to toxic household hazards.
Healthy Homes provides education, outreach, and support services to help residents reduce environmental risks within the home, while also offering income-eligible renters and homeowners free resources such as non-toxic cleaning supplies, child and pet safe pest control products, air purifiers, HEPA filter vacuums, and smoke/carbon monoxide alarms.
The initiative responds to lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the health impacts of housing quality and inequitable access to safe living conditions. Overall, the program seeks to prevent illness, improve quality of life, and reduce health system burdens by promoting healthier indoor environments.
The Colorado AgrAbility Project
The Colorado AgrAbility Project supports the physical and behavioral health of farmers, ranchers, and agriculture workers across Colorado. It employs two rural rehabilitation specialists who support people working in agriculture living with a disability or injury that affects their ability to work. AgrAbility also has behavioral health specialists and manages the Colorado Agricultural Addiction and Mental Health Program. This program provides free therapy sessions for anyone working in agriculture, including their families. Therapy sessions can address stress or behavioral health issues from climate change.
Climate affects Colorado agriculture in a number of ways, including inconsistent temperatures, precipitation, wind and other destructive storms, hail, and flooding during the growing and harvest seasons. People in agriculture also have been directly affected by wildfire. Fire has had devastating impacts on both livestock ranchers and crop farmers in every region of our state. AgrAbility helps support agents (extension, National Resources Conservation Service, veterinarians, and others) as they help people experiencing hardship from climate impacts on their operations.
Visit the Acclimate Colorado website to learn more about CHI's climate adaptation work in Colorado.