Role of the Local Public Health Department

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Role of the Local Public Health Department
Michele Belovich-Faust, RN, MPH Director of
Health Care Initiatives Lehigh Valley Hospital
Ann Ligi, BA, MPH, CHES Epidemiologist Bethlehem
Health Bureau
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• This lecture is one of series produced by the
  Allegheny County Health Department (PA),
  Bethlehem Health Bureau (PA) and the City of
  Elizabeth Department of Health Human Services
  (NJ).
• The organizers of this project are scholars in
  the Northeast Regional Public Health Leadership
  Institute, Class of 2000. For information
  contact dcw01_at_health.state.ny.us

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Michele Belovich-Faust -Director of Health Care
Initiatives, Lehigh Valley Hospital -BS, Nursing,
Cedar Crest College -MPH, Community Health, East
Stroudsburg University Michele Belovich-Faust
has had experience in infection control, employee
health and school nursing. She has been in the
health care field for the past 20 years and has
served in an administrative role for 15. She
recently served as the Health Director for the
City of Bethlehem and the Director of University
Health Services at East Stroudsburg University.
She was recently listed as an Honored
Professional in the National Register for Whos
Who in Executives and Professionals.
August, 1998
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Ann Ligi -Epidemiologist, Bethlehem Health
Bureau -BA, Psychology, East Stroudsburg State
College -MPH, Community Health, East Stroudsburg
University -CHES, Certified Health Education
Specialist Ann Ligi has worked in the human
services field in government, community-based
organizations and educational settings for over
15 years. She has extensive administrative
management experience in the areas of delivery of
services and strategic planning. At the bureau,
she designs systems for program data collection
and analysis, and related program and policy
development.
August, 1998
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• LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• To define public health
• To understand the 3 core functions of public
  health
• To learn about the national public health plan
• To understand the role of a local public health
  department

August, 1998
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• PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
• Be able to define public health
• List the 3 core functions of public health
• Know what the national public health plan is
• Know the role of a local public health department

August, 1998
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WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?

• PREVENTING DISEASE
• PROLONGING LIFE
• IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE
• ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITIES
• ORGANIZING COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ABOVE

Public health is what we, as a society, do
collectively to assure the conditions for people
to be healthy.
IOM
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CHANGING FOCUS OF PUBLIC HEALTH
From
to
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COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF HEALTH TODAY
HEALTH WELL BEING
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NEED FOR A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN

• 1979 HEALTHY PEOPLE REPORT
• Healthy People 1990
• Healthy People 2000
• Healthy People 2010

Healthy People 2010
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National Health Plan (contd.)

• Healthy People 1990
• Three main categories
• Preventive Health Services
• Health Promotion
• Health Protection

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National Health Plan (contd.)

• Healthy People 2000
• Three main goals
• Increase the span of healthy life
• Reduce health status disparities
• Provide access to preventive health services for
  all

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National Health Plan (contd.)

• Healthy People 2010
• Two main goals
• Increase quality and years of healthy life
• Eliminate health disparities

Healthy People 2010
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PUBLIC HEALTH IN AMERICA
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Healthy People in Healthy Communities
TEN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

• Monitor health status to identify community
  health problems
• Diagnose and investigate health problems and
  health hazards in the community
• Inform, educate, and empower people about health
  issues

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Healthy People in Healthy Communities
TEN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES (contd.)

• Mobilize community partnerships to identify and
  solve health problems
• Develop policies and plans that support
  individual and community health efforts

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Healthy People in Healthy Communities
TEN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES (contd.)

• Enforce laws and regulations that protect health
  and ensure safety
• Link people to needed personal health services
  and assure the provision of health care when
  otherwise unavailable

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Healthy People in Healthy Communities
TEN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES (contd.)

• Assure a competent public health and personal
  health care workforce
• Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and
  quality of personal and population-based health
  services
• Research for new insights and innovative
  solutions to health problems

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Healthy People in Healthy Communities

• SIX PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES
• Prevents epidemics and the spread of disease
• Protects against environmental hazards
• Prevents injuries

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Healthy People in Healthy Communities
SIX PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES (contd.)

• Promotes and encourages healthy behaviors
• Responds to disasters and assists communities in
  recovery
• Assures the quality and accessibility of health
  services

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• Core functions of a government public health
  agency
• Assessment
• Leadership
• Assurance

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COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
NCHS
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COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
Through 3. Programs designed to meet
community needs
Core Function 2 Leadership in organizing
effective public private sector strategies to
address community health problems
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COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
Core Function 3 Assurance that direct services
necessary for meeting local health goals are
available to ALL Community residents
Through 4. Community health services which
include screenings, education, prevention and
outreach
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Healthy Community
Public Health
International Health Organizations
COLLABORATION
Municipal/County government
Federal/State government
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Public Health
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Healthy Community
Business
Industry
Citizens
LPHD
All levels of government
Managed Care Other Providers
Education