Here in the U.S., when it comes to our nation’s overall health, we have work to do. Reports show that not only do we spend a disproportionate amount of money on health care relative to our wealth in comparison to other countries, but we have very little to show for it.
Only by working together can we improve our collective health and wellness. To this end, the American Public Health Association is celebrating National Public Health Week from April 2–8, 2018.
APHA wants you to be part of a growing movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation. National Public Health Week celebrates the power of prevention, advocating for healthy and fair policies, sharing strategies and championing the role of a strong public health system.
If the idea behind National Public Health Week could be encapsulated within one organization, it would be the Ontario County Public Health Department.
“When people think of public health, they look at the history and have the perception that it is about nurses going into private homes,” says Mary Beer, RN, MPH, Public Health Director of Ontario County Public Health Department. “That might have been our origin, but we are really about working together with community stakeholders to move the whole population of our community to better health.”
The Ontario County Public Health Department was started in 1918 with one nurse on staff in response to a tuberculosis outbreak. Over the years as health care evolved, so did OC Public Health. In those early years activity was about childbirth.
“It was before babies were being born in hospitals,” Beer says. “And infant mortality rate was higher. Nurses provided a lot of education.”
Today, rather than providing the direct delivery of care, emphasis is placed on disease research and control, education and identifying the health needs of the entire community. These efforts support OC Public Health’s vision statement, “Healthy people in healthy communities,” and mission statement: OC Public Health is a team of professionals devoted to protecting and promoting the health and well-being of our residents.
Health needs are diverse. To this end, OC Public Health is involved with many initiatives. But Beer is careful to point out that one of OC Public Health’s largest roles is in identifying community stakeholders (various clinics, hospitals, service providers, organizations and other state agencies) to leverage resources.
“We all have limited resources but a piece to play,” Beer says. “Our responsibility is to see how we all can work together so we are not duplicating or completing but rather, enhancing efforts.”
One example is the effort to address substance abuse and mental health. Every few years, OC Public Health conducts a Community Health Assessment to determine health priorities in the county in terms of biggest risk. The last assessment was done in December 2016 and revealed that hypertension, obesity and substance abuse/mental health were the largest community health risks. With this information, OC Public Health developed a Community Health Improvement Plan. Collective efforts from community stakeholders, such as the Partnership for Ontario County, rallied around the plan contributing effort to improve the county’s overall health in the targeted areas.
Given the scope and depth of OC Public Health’s initiatives, chances are you have been affected by their efforts either directly or indirectly. From disease prevention, education and management to family planning, free clinics and screenings, OC Public Health partners with other health service providers to address a wide range of matters including:
• Injury prevention
• Cancer services
• Children’s health
• Children with special needs
• Chronic diseases
• Communicable diseases
• Emergency preparedness
• Family planning
• Immunizations
• Lead poisoning prevention
• Maternal child health
• Rabies
• Sexually transmitted diseases
For a list of programs and services and links to more information about their availability visit Co.Ontario.NY.US/199/Programs-Services.
Moving the needle in improving overall public health takes a long time. Data is not always readily available. But Beer points out that their efforts are making a difference.
Over the past 10 years, OC Public Health nurses have placed 2,935 tuberculosis skin tests. Almost 1,000 occurred in 2008 after many community members were exposed to an active case that was quickly contained.
Rabies is another focal point. OC Public Health administers anywhere from 35-70 rabies post exposure vaccine series. In 2016, OC Public Health provided six rabies clinics and vaccinated 1,177 pets at various locations with the help of OC Humane Society animal handlers and a local vet.
Child and adult immunizations for communicable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis and whooping cough play an enormous role in reducing disease burden, hospitalizations, health care costs and deaths. The number of people immunized through Ontario County has decreased in recent years as vaccines have become more available through pharmacies and because of the Affordable Care Act, according to Chrissy Lotyczewski, a nurse with Ontario County Public Health. In 2016, OC Public Health immunized approximately 900 individuals, according to its annual report. Lotyczewski emphasized the county health department is intended to be a safety net for people who don’t have or can’t afford insurance.
Injury prevention is taught and emphasized through a number of channels. In 2016, thanks to a $3,000 grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, OC Public Health purchased 224 bicycle helmets and distributed them to children facing financial barriers.
For all their efforts, OC Public Health’s successes in improving community wellness ultimately hinge on the most important piece: Your involvement in your health. You can find detailed information about the OC Public Health Department at co.ontario.ny.us/101/Public-Health.
