WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH
The CDC Foundation says that "Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing and responding to infectious diseases. Overall, public health is concerned with protecting the health of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a local neighborhood, or as big as an entire country or region of the world". Public health prevents problems from happening or recurring through implementing educational programs, recommending policies, administering services and conducting research. Public health also works to limit health disparities, and promotes health care equity, quality and accessibility.
https://www.cdcfoundation.org/what-public-health
WHO WE ARE
The West Central District Health Department (WCDHD) is a public agency working to support health, safety, and well-being in the Nebraska counties of Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Thomas, Hooker, and Arthur. We aim to educate, promote, and improve the overall health of our communities and each resident; allowing all who live, work, and play within to thrive.
WHAT WE DO
As a public health department, WCDHD works to:
- Improve quality of life and reduce transmission of disease;
- Maximize health equity and improve access to services for all;
- Assess and monitor overall community health, and identify hazards and challenges;
- Respond to emergent and long-term public health crises;
- Enhance collaboration among local agencies and organizations addressing health-related concerns;
- Develop and enforce public health regulations and policy;
- And more.
Public-facing services offered through our office include:
- Routine and needs-specific vaccination
- Access to testing tools for certain high-risk infectious diseases (such as COVID-19) and environmental hazards (such as radon)
- Interpretation and assistance for non-English speakers in accessing and navigating local health services
- Mandatory disease reporting and investigation
- Education and information on a variety of important health topics, including chronic disease prevention, emergency preparedness, drug overdose prevention, and environmental health concerns
HOW TO CONTACT US
Visit our CONTACT US page for more information, including office address, phone number, hours of operation, and more.
