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  • Apr
    8
    2021

    Marion County recognizes National Public Health Week

    Posted by: Health and Human Services

    As part of National Public Health Week, we’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous work of our Public Health Division. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many in our community did not fully understand the role that Public Health plays in keeping us healthy.

    The division includes programs related to immunizations, STDs and HIV, communicable disease investigation, early childhood nutrition, disease prevention, modernization, vital statistics, and emergency preparedness. These programs include 81 regular employees and 34 temporary staff members supporting our COVID-19 pandemic response.

    Our Public Health Division was the first in Oregon to be accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in 2015. Accreditation represents a commitment to excellence and continued improvement, and requires the division to demonstrate preparedness, quality improvement plans, and avenues to achieve modernization. In 2020, as we responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, the division was reaccredited by PHAB after a lengthy application and review process.

    Members of the Public Health Team continued to serve our community through the pandemic, including our Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Team. They adapted quickly to telework and found new ways to engage and connect with families in their program. As a result of the changes, the team saw an overall increase in attendance and a decline in appointment no-shows, allowing them to ensure local children have access to proper nutrition and resources to give them a healthy start in life.

    Every member of the Public Health Team has seen their job change significantly over the last year, with the majority of staff being reassigned to support our COVID-19 response. This includes roles in managing operations, contact tracing and disease investigation, communications, serving as liaisons with community partners, among others. Our county has been a leader in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is due to the exceptionally hard work and dedication of the people on our Public Health team.

    As we look forward to declining COVID-19 case rates and returning to a reality that is a bit more “normal”, we want to thank the team for all of their efforts. They have remained committed to keeping our community healthy even through one of the most trying years in our county’s history. Thank you, Marion County Public Health Division. 

    Marion County recognizes National Public Health Week
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