Washington County Public Health > Our Services

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Partnering with our community to focus on the top needs of the Washington County Community health.

During the months of June and July 2015, Washington County Public Health partnered with over 40 organizations and community members to conduct the Washington County Community Health Needs Assessment. During a series of three meetings, a wide variety of health-related topics were discussed including healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, injury prevention, mental health care, and environmental health. At the conclusion of the third meeting, the community members voted on the top three health priorities on which to focus for the next five years.

The top three priorities selected are:

Mental Health
Physical Activity Throughout Life
Access to Healthy Foods

Blood Pressure Clinic

FREE blood pressure clinic's offered monthly.

Emergency Preparedness

Helping our community to be prepared to respond to emergencies.

Environmental Health

Working to insure the health of the environment in Washington County.

Communicable Diseases

Prevent and contain infectious diseases

Mental Health Coalition

Focusing on the mental well-being of our community members

Wellness Commission

Focusing on access to healthy foods and physical activity throughout the lifespan.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Our goals of this program are to prevent and contain infectious diseases through outbreak investigations and disease follow-up.

Our staff works with healthcare providers, hospitals, and laboratories to:

Detect and report cases of infectious diseases
Investigate the circumstances of each case
Provide information to families and communities regarding diseases
Recommend and implement measures to control the spread of diseases

To talk with a member of our staff or to report a communicable disease, please call 319-653-7758 or 1-800-655-7758.

To report a suspected food poisoning, please call 1-844-IowaSic (1-844-469-2742)

To report a communicable disease after hours or on weekends, please call 1-800-362-2736

Turberculosis is curable!

A TB skin test is the most common type of TB testing. It is done by injecting a small amount of fluid under the skin on your arm. The site needs to be checked within 48-72 hours after the injection to determine if the test result is positive or negative. For more information or to schedule an appointment please call Lynn at Washington County Public Health at: 319-653-7758/800-655-7758 ext. 113.

MENTAL HEALTH COALITION

Working together to improve the health and welfare of the Washington County Community

During the community discussions, strengths in Washington County related to mental health were identified and include a new, recently-opened drop-in support center, the local ER staffed with mental health professionals, and an overall support from the community for mental health services.

The Mental Health Coalition meets monthly and members include school staff, law enforcement, mental health professionals, local public health staff, and local hospital administrative staff.

Washington County Mental Health Guide for the Community

WELLNESS COMMISSION

The goals of the Wellness Commission are to focus on both access to healthy foods and physical activity throughout the lifespan.

The commission spent a year investigating evidence-based projects that have shown success and inviting guest speakers to explain new community-based projects. Working with partners at Iowa State University Extension, the commission is now ready to assist with implementing several new and innovative projects.

Community Health