Social Services
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CONEJOS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES


Mission Statement
Conejos County Department of Social Services will strive to educate, motivate, and protect individuals
and  families in order to achieve self-sufficiency and secure a stable home environment. 

Vision Statement
People are our business. Together we can achieve our goal. 


Child Care

Conejos County offers Child Care Assistance.  See below income guidelines.  Please contact Christine Garcia at our main office for a list of providers or for questions regarding eligiblity. 

Child Support

Conejos County provides Child Support Services in obtaining financial support from non custodial parents. Please see information regarding our Parent Program.  For questions regarding Eligiblity contact Vanessa Tapia at our main phone number. 



Public Assistance

Conejos County offers financial, medical, and food assistance.  Information for each of these programs can be found on the Colorado Peak website or by contacting Kayte Mora at our main office.  We can also assist our community in other ways. This year we were able to help our school aged children by offering Back to School Care Packages. 

Non-Discrimination Policy

This institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin,  disability, age, sex and in some cases religion or political beliefs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age,  political beliefs or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through
the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027), found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.

Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

For any other information dealing with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) issues, persons should either contact the USDA SNAP Hotline Number at (800) 221-5689, which is also in Spanish or call the State  Information/Hotline Numbers (click the link for a listing of hotline numbers by State); found online at: SNAP Hotline.

To file a complaint of discrimination regarding a program receiving Federal financial assistance through the U.S. Department of Health and  Human Services (HHS), write:

HHS Director, Office for Civil Rights, Room 515-F, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
or call (202) 619-0403 (voice)
or (800) 537-7697 (TTY).

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Mandatory Reporting

Are you a Mandatory Reporter?  Click on the below link to find out if you are required and to go through an online tutorial. 
http://www.coloradocwts.com/mandated-reporter-training

Adult Protection Services

Adult Protection Services investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of at risk adults.  APS assists with resources and referrals to improve an at risk adults lifestyle and reduce their risk of neglect, abuse and exploitation.  Referrals can be made by contacting 719-376-5455.  After hours please contact State Patrol at 719-589-5807 and ask for the on call worker for Conejos County. 

Foster Care

Interested in becoming a Foster Parent?  Check out the following link. 
http://www.cofosterandadopt.org/

LEAP

LEAP is an acronymn for Low-Income Energy Assistance Program that is designed to help eligible, low-income households with winter home heating costs.  LEAP is a mail in program and will not be administered at the Conejos County Department of Social Services.  All applications need to be mailed to Goodwill who will be processing these cases.  Their mailing address is: LEAP P.O. Box 39200, Colorado Springs, CO 80949.  
 

Child Welfare

Child welfare employees work directly with families to strengthen a family’s ability to protect and care for their own children, minimize harm to children and youth, and ensure timely permanency planning. When safety is not possible within the family, services focus on the child’s need for a stable, permanent home as quickly as possible. See the below chart to see the process of how Child Welfare calls are handled.


Contact Us

Department of Social Services

Director:
Nicholas Barela

Child Care/Child Support Supervisor:
Vanessa Tapia

Child Welfare/Adult Protection Supervisor:
Michelle Ferrera

Eligibility Supervisor:
Kayte Mora


Address:
PO Box 68
12989 County Rd. G.6
Conejos, CO 81129

Phone: 719-376-5455
Fax: 719-376-2389

Hour of Operation:

Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (except holidays)

Contact Form