FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY CELEBRATES NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK

– THE FLORIDA WAY 

Contact:
Stacy Haas
Stacy.Haas@flhealth.gov
Ph: 772-794-7450

Indian River County, Fla. – This week is National Public Health Week and the Florida Department of Health is giving Floridians an inside look at some of the careers behind public health and the dedicated professionals who do them. Each day, the department will highlight a different area of public health including epidemiology, emergency preparedness and response, environmental health and public health nursing. These fields and many more help the department carry out our mission to promote, protect and improve the health of Florida residents and visitors.

“By highlighting the efforts of public health professionals, residents of Indian River County can learn more about the services provided by their local health department”, said Miranda Hawker, Florida Department of Health in Indian River County Administrator.

Last year, the department was the first state in the nation to receive national accreditation as an integrated department of health through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Accreditation by PHAB signifies that the department, including the state health office and all 67 county health departments, is meeting national standards for ensuring essential public health services are provided in the community.

For the next two years, the Department will focus on several key areas to improve health in our state including increasing childhood vaccination rates, achieving health equity in all communities, developing a high quality trauma service, reducing HIV infection rates, reducing infant mortality rates, decreasing inhaled nicotine use and decreasing licensure processing time for health care professionals.

The Florida Department of Health in Indian River County (DOH-Indian River) provides affordable, quality pediatric and adult health medical care, as well as dental care to residents of Indian River County. In addition to clinical services, DOH-Indian River provides environmental health services and wellness programs.  The Department is highly committed to the Community Health Improvement Plan and implementation in conjunction with community partners to improve health in Indian River County.  Indian River County Medical Society’s We Care Program was created to help provide free specialty medical treatment for our residents. The We Care Program is staffed by many of our county’s physicians who volunteer their time and services to the program.

Use #ThankAPublicHealthPro on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to recognize a public health professional in your area during National Public Health Week.

For more information about National Public Health Week, please visit www.nphw.org. For more information about the different programs and services offered at DOH-Indian River please visit https://indianriver.floridahealth.gov or call 772-794-7400.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.