The Washtenaw County Health Department is pleased to share its 2017 Annual Report with the Washtenaw County community.
“2017 brought challenges – from an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak, to people in marginalized communities feeling unsafe in public and government spaces,” says Ellen Rabinowitz, health officer with Washtenaw County Health Department. “Through all of this, our staff continued to provide excellent, compassionate public service, and brought us closer to our vision of a healthy community for all.”
The Health Department started off 2017 by confirming its commitment to serving everyone in Washtenaw County through an “All Are Welcome Here” campaign. Throughout the year, the Department continued to strengthen community engagement work, and to provide vital services to the community, including:
- Preventing and containing disease outbreaks. The Washtenaw County Health Department vaccinated nearly 1,400 adults against hepatitis A and followed up on over 700 cases of reportable illness.
- Making sure our food, water, and environment are safe and clean. The Department completed over 3,100 restaurant inspections, 6,000 water tests, and much more.
- Creating lasting changes in our communities that help people eat more fruits and vegetables and get more active. The Health Department distributed over $50,000 in healthy food and farmers market coupons, served over 4,900 WIC clients each month, and supported numerous community initiatives.
- Meeting people where they are with education, resources, and access to services. The Health Department provided thousands of home visits, tests and preventative screenings, dental visits, vaccinations, help for children with special health care challenges, and more.
In addition, the Health Department launched a new look and committed to the name many already use: Washtenaw County Health Department. The new Washtenaw County Health Department logo and tagline reflect the department’s broad array of programs and focus on health equity, and promote its vision of a healthy community in which every resident enjoys the best possible state of health and well-being.
You can find the Washtenaw County Health Department online at www.washtenaw.org/health.