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Monday,
April 3rd - National Public Health Week Begins
Today...
“The
People of Public Health,” who work to protect
the health of the residents of Colorado and the
environment in which they live, are being
spotlighted during the Colorado Observance of
National Public Health Week 2006.
This
year’s observance, which focuses on the work of
public health employees in “preventing,
promoting and protecting,” will begin on Monday,
April 3, and will continue through Sunday, April
9.
The Larimer
County Department of Health and Environment is
among the 15 local public health departments, 39
county public health nursing services, and 17
environmental health offices which provide public
health services throughout Colorado and work in
cooperation with the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment.
During
Public Health Week, the staff of the Larimer
County Department of Health and Environment will
carry on the daily business of promoting and
protecting the health of Larimer County citizens.
In addition to its usual services, the
Environmental Health Division will be co-hosting a
Quarantine and Isolation Seminar in Fort Morgan as
part of its public health emergency preparedness
efforts. The Immunization staff, in
partnership with the Larimer County Immunization
Coalition, will sponsor its 2006 Immunization
Update for healthcare workers.
“The
employees of the County Department of Health and
Environment are strongly committed to protecting
the public and environmental health of Larimer
County,” said Adrienne LeBailly, MD, director of
the department. “We work together to
provide a wide variety of services, such as
supporting healthy pregnancies, keeping
Colorado’s food safe and its water and air
clean, and preventing and controlling communicable
diseases.”
Public
health employees in Larimer County include
environmental health specialists; public health
nurses, health educators, nutritionists and social
workers; program workers and coordinators, support
staff; administrative workers and managers; a
vital records registrar, a public information
officer, an environmental health planner, and a
physician health director .
Larimer
County public health employees issue birth and
death certificates; provide adult and child
immunizations and vaccinations required for
international travel; inspect child care centers;
investigate and control disease outbreaks, inspect
public pools and spas; review school sanitation
and safety from the cafeteria to the chemistry
lab; do land use planning; provide parenting
education and breastfeeding support to expectant
and new mothers; and advocate for policies and
laws that protect the health and safety of the
county’s residents and visitors.
They also
assist parents in applying for Medicaid and the
Child Health Plan Plus insurance program; provide
services for children with special health needs;
provide testing and conduct programs to prevent
the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and
tuberculosis; encourage the use of fluoride in
drinking water; encourage youth not to start using
tobacco and provide assistance for adults who want
to quit.
If you’d
like more information about the Larimer County
Department of Health and Environment, call
970-498-6700.
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