April 3th –9th is National Public Health Week

From the Langlade County Health Department

In recognition of National Public Health Week, the staff at Langlade County Health Department would like to take this opportunity to share what the department does to help support the community in becoming healthier and stronger. “We all have a role in making our communities healthier places to live, and the Langlade County Health Department is excited to lead the way,” said Ron Barger, Director of the Health and Social Services. “Even small steps can make a big difference in the health and safety of our county.”

Toward that effort, the following are just a few examples of how your local health department is here to help:

• Public health staff is ready to respond to any health emergency. This was highlighted during 2009, with the emergence of the H1N1 influenza virus. Our department’s role was to educate and prepare the community for the unknown effects of H1N1.
• The health department offers preventive care needed to help maintain health. Late last year and early into this year, surrounding counties suffered from a Pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak. Our nursing staff monitored all test results for our county’s residents and encouraged the public to come in for vaccine protection. For 2016, our department provided a total of 2,029 immunizations to children and adults of Langlade County.
• Public health staff provides information that allows people to make healthy decisions. Last year, our department put out a total of 122 articles and interviews through local media outlets and set up 60 educations displays that an estimated 4,200 community members engaged in.
• The Langlade County Health Department provides services to children and families through the WIC program, Prenatal Care Coordination program and Langlade County Area Diaper Bank. Our newly established diaper bank collected over 5,870 diapers last year, which allowed our department to serve over 200 children.
• The health department collaborates with other community partners to improve wellness and prevent illness in Langlade County. Our department works closely with the area school districts by providing support and education to our students (i.e., health fairs, SADD teen peers, class presentations). Our public health staff also coordinates with Aspirus Langlade Hospital to conduct a widespread assessment of our community’s health needs and develop a Community Health Improvement Plan to address the key issues identified in the assessment.

National Public Health Week is designed to showcase the role that public health agencies play in making illness prevention possible for this generation and generations to come. To learn more about the programs and services Langlade County Health Department offers, visit http://langladecountyhealth.org/ or call 715-627-6250.