Public Health Week remembered in April
In 1995, former President Bill Clinton proclaimed the first full week of April as National Public Health Week (NPHW). Each year since then, the public health community has celebrated this observance in honor of their goal to promote healthy and safe communities.
The local Holmes County Health District is hard at work all year long striving to make the area as healthy and safe as possible. The staff is dedicated, caring and always there to answer a question or make a referral to the proper agency if they cannot help. Health Commissioner Dr. D.J. McFadden said there are many serious responsibilities overseen by the local health department, as well as some excellent programs.
“There are several responsibilities which we have as public health that few people probably know about,” he explained. “We are responsible for monitoring the health status of our community. This means that we are to follow the trends of chronic disease, but also look for new infectious disease threats in the community. We are expected to inform, educate, and empower the community about these health issues and threats. Once identified, then we are responsible in using community partnerships to address these disease threats.”
The department is also a credible and helpful resource to those within the community. There are many programs and helps available, but not everyone is aware of what is offered.
“For instance,” McFadden shared, “people may be unaware of our Help Me Grow program. This is a home-based early intervention program that is designed to help children age birth to 3 years old get off to the best start. The program works with parents, providing information on child development and community resources. The program seeks to identify developmental delays early, and intervene with therapies to advance the development of these children. Help Me Grow also provides up-to-date information on the child’s health to the parents. It promotes family literacy and supports the parents, so they can become actively involved in the education of their children.”
According to McFadden, Help Me Grow also works with children that have identified delays. The program offers help and assistance to these families and makes sure they receive the resources they need to help their children.
“Based on goals developed by the parents, the team provides therapeutic interventions for children with identified delays,” McFadden said.
Another very helpful program offered through public health is the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. McFadden said the WIC program is extremely valuable in promoting healthy nutrition.
“Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, is a program that is so valuable in this age of poor nutrition,” he said. “The program is a nutrition education program and also provides nutritious foods, which promote good health for pregnant women, women who just had a baby, breastfeeding moms, infants, and children up to the age of five. In another attempt to promote good nutrition and combat obesity, the program is also a strong proponent of breastfeeding.”
In their promotion of breastfeeding, the health department has developed a special and somewhat new program known as Peer Breastfeeding. McFadden has seen much promise with the program and many positive outcomes.
“Our peer breastfeeding program is now using breastfeeding peers,” he said. “This is a program that uses lay providers who have successfully breastfed to coach, encourage, support, and walk beside mothers who are trying to nurse. They are available for consultation and visitation. Research continues to find more and more benefits of breastfeeding, and we work to encourage all women who are pregnant to consider this option.”
Nutrition and family health is a big part of what local health departments do, but helping prepare communities for disaster is another vital area of service. McFadden stressed the importance of this program and how other organizations are involved.
“Our public health emergency preparedness program is a program with the mission to prevent and mitigate the threats of bioterrorism and biological threats to our community,” he said. “The program relies on planning and practicing for emergencies. Through the program, systems are put in place to respond to threats to the health of the community as they become known. The program works closely with the EMA, hospital, Red Cross and law enforcement to ensure the best public safety possible.”
McFadden is proud of the local Holmes County Health District and the many efforts the staff makes on behalf of public health. He also said that Holmes County is one of the healthier communities in the state of Ohio and for that, he is very pleased.
“From the most recent data in 2008, we as a county had the second lowest teenage birth rate for teens aged 10-19 (17.6 per 1,000 girls),” he said. “We also have the lowest rates of chlamydia (the most common sexually transmitted infection) in the state. From data from 2001, we have the fifth lowest rate of death from heart attack and stroke and we have about half the rate of childhood asthma and about half the rate of emphysema/chronic lung disease as the state average. As we celebrate public health and all it does this month, I would like to also celebrate the health of our community.”
The local Holmes County Health District is hard at work all year long striving to make the area as healthy and safe as possible. The staff is dedicated, caring and always there to answer a question or make a referral to the proper agency if they cannot help. Health Commissioner Dr. D.J. McFadden said there are many serious responsibilities overseen by the local health department, as well as some excellent programs.
“There are several responsibilities which we have as public health that few people probably know about,” he explained. “We are responsible for monitoring the health status of our community. This means that we are to follow the trends of chronic disease, but also look for new infectious disease threats in the community. We are expected to inform, educate, and empower the community about these health issues and threats. Once identified, then we are responsible in using community partnerships to address these disease threats.”
The department is also a credible and helpful resource to those within the community. There are many programs and helps available, but not everyone is aware of what is offered.
“For instance,” McFadden shared, “people may be unaware of our Help Me Grow program. This is a home-based early intervention program that is designed to help children age birth to 3 years old get off to the best start. The program works with parents, providing information on child development and community resources. The program seeks to identify developmental delays early, and intervene with therapies to advance the development of these children. Help Me Grow also provides up-to-date information on the child’s health to the parents. It promotes family literacy and supports the parents, so they can become actively involved in the education of their children.”
According to McFadden, Help Me Grow also works with children that have identified delays. The program offers help and assistance to these families and makes sure they receive the resources they need to help their children.
“Based on goals developed by the parents, the team provides therapeutic interventions for children with identified delays,” McFadden said.
Another very helpful program offered through public health is the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. McFadden said the WIC program is extremely valuable in promoting healthy nutrition.
“Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, is a program that is so valuable in this age of poor nutrition,” he said. “The program is a nutrition education program and also provides nutritious foods, which promote good health for pregnant women, women who just had a baby, breastfeeding moms, infants, and children up to the age of five. In another attempt to promote good nutrition and combat obesity, the program is also a strong proponent of breastfeeding.”
In their promotion of breastfeeding, the health department has developed a special and somewhat new program known as Peer Breastfeeding. McFadden has seen much promise with the program and many positive outcomes.
“Our peer breastfeeding program is now using breastfeeding peers,” he said. “This is a program that uses lay providers who have successfully breastfed to coach, encourage, support, and walk beside mothers who are trying to nurse. They are available for consultation and visitation. Research continues to find more and more benefits of breastfeeding, and we work to encourage all women who are pregnant to consider this option.”
Nutrition and family health is a big part of what local health departments do, but helping prepare communities for disaster is another vital area of service. McFadden stressed the importance of this program and how other organizations are involved.
“Our public health emergency preparedness program is a program with the mission to prevent and mitigate the threats of bioterrorism and biological threats to our community,” he said. “The program relies on planning and practicing for emergencies. Through the program, systems are put in place to respond to threats to the health of the community as they become known. The program works closely with the EMA, hospital, Red Cross and law enforcement to ensure the best public safety possible.”
McFadden is proud of the local Holmes County Health District and the many efforts the staff makes on behalf of public health. He also said that Holmes County is one of the healthier communities in the state of Ohio and for that, he is very pleased.
“From the most recent data in 2008, we as a county had the second lowest teenage birth rate for teens aged 10-19 (17.6 per 1,000 girls),” he said. “We also have the lowest rates of chlamydia (the most common sexually transmitted infection) in the state. From data from 2001, we have the fifth lowest rate of death from heart attack and stroke and we have about half the rate of childhood asthma and about half the rate of emphysema/chronic lung disease as the state average. As we celebrate public health and all it does this month, I would like to also celebrate the health of our community.”
Published: April 10, 2011
