Health Extension: Cultivating Healthy Communities

CSU Health Extension empowers  Coloradans to live healthy lives by supporting  community-driven initiatives and offering programs and resources that promote a culture of health and well-being.

Our Focus Areas

Behavioral Health & Resillience

Programs, education, resources, and referrals that include stress reduction strategies, promote well-being and resilience, and mitigate emergencies. 

Financial Well-being

Education and resources that aim to empower individuals and families with financial literacy and tangible strategies for responsible fiscal management. 

Food Safety, Preservation, and Preparation 

Food safety education and knowledge sharing provides community members with tools, skills, and information to safely handle, prepare, and store healthy foods.   

Healthy Aging

Education and engagement programs that promote lifelong learning, increase opportunities for intergenerational connections, and support the overall health and well-being of older adults and caregivers.  

Nutrition, Disease Prevention, and Management

Community engagement opportunities and nutrition education and chronic disease prevention programs that promote nutritional awareness, active lifestyles, and healthy behavior change strategies. 

Building on Extension’s national framework

CSU Health Extension’s work is based on the Cooperative Extension National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being, which prioritizes:

• Advancing health equity by increasing access to health resources
• Responding to community needs by centering resident’s voices and experiences
• Investing in Extension’s health-related workforce and programs
• Working with partners to build on existing community resources that address social determinants of health

Our Guiding Principles

Foster belonging by enhancing community connection and engagement

Promote equity by supporting equal and fair access in attaining health and well-being

Instill resilience by supporting communities’ capacity to thrive despite challenges

Increase self-efficacy by empowering individuals and communities to make healthy decisions

Improve access to health by decreasing barriers to knowledge and resources

Boost cultural competence by cultivating an understanding and respect for differences across cultures

Advance community trust by expanding upon Extension’s legacy of engagement  that builds bridges across differences

Grow community leadership opportunites by teaching problem-solving and enacting strategies to attain collective goals