News from Weld County

Weld County DHS Earns Top State Award Again for Service Excellence

Written by Scott James

For the 2nd year in a row, Weld County DHS earns top state honors for service excellence, meeting 78.6% of performance goals in 2024.

For the second year in a row, the Weld County Department of Human Services (DHS) has earned the C-Stat Distinguished Performance Award from the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), recognizing the county’s continued excellence in delivering timely, accurate, and high-quality services to residents.

The Distinguished Performance Award is given to counties that meet or exceed 75% of their monthly performance goals throughout the year. In 2024, Weld County surpassed that threshold by achieving 78.6% of its goals. This marks the county’s third time receiving the award, having previously won in 2020 and 2023.

A celebration was held Thursday, July 31, bringing together staff from DHS, CDHS, and the Weld County Board of Commissioners to recognize the achievement. Several divisions within Weld DHS were spotlighted for consistently meeting performance targets every month in 2024, including Child Support Services, Adult Protective Services, and Child Welfare.

Chelsey Hall, CDHS Director of Strategic Operations for Community Partnerships, congratulated Weld County on its strong performance. She noted that CDHS has recently raised the benchmark to 80% — a goal that Weld is already exceeding, with July numbers showing a success rate of 85.9%.

“Weld County is one of only two large counties that have received the Distinguished Performer Award,” said Minna Castillo, Deputy Executive Director of Community Partnerships. “This award is not just a title, but really a profound acknowledgement of the exceptional dedication and unwavering commitment that Weld County employees make every single day to help serve the community.”

Along with the presentation of the C-Stat award, DHS leadership also took this opportunity to emphasize the impact and importance of all divisions.

“Without every single position throughout the department, we really wouldn’t be able to do the work and make the impact that we do,” said Tami Grant, DHS Deputy Director. “We’re all working collectively to meet needs, fill gaps and serve students, families and individuals throughout the county.”

To learn more about DHS, visit www.weld.gov/Government/Departments/Human-Services.

About the author

Scott James

A 4th generation Northern Colorado native, Scott K. James is a veteran broadcaster, professional communicator, and principled leader. Widely recognized for his thoughtful, common-sense approach to addressing issues that affect families, businesses, and communities, Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, call Johnstown, Colorado, home. A former mayor of Johnstown, James is a staunch defender of the Constitution and the rule of law, the free market, and the power of the individual. Scott has delighted in a lifetime of public service and continues that service as a Weld County Commissioner representing District 2.