Areas of Public Health Responsibility
This area of public health responsibility describes aspects of the public health infrastructure that are essential to a well-functioning public health system – including assessment, planning, and policy development. This includes those components of the infrastructure that are required by law for community health boards. It also includes activities that assure the diversity of public health services and prevents the deterioration of the public health system.
Promote Healthy Communities and Healthy Behaviors
This area of public health responsibility includes activities to promote positive health behaviors and the prevention of adverse health behaviors – in all populations across the lifespan in the areas of alcohol, arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular/stroke, diabetes, health aging, HIV/AIDS, Infant, child, and adolescent growth and development, injury, mental health, nutrition, oral/dental health, drug use, physical activity, pregnancy and birth, STDs/STIs, tobacco, unintended pregnancies, and violence. It also includes activities that enhance the overall health of communities.
Prevent the Spread of Infectious Disease
This area of responsibility focuses on infectious diseases that are spread person to person, as opposed to diseases that are initially transmitted through the environment (e.g., through food, water, vectors and/or animals). It also includes the public health department activities to detect acute and communicable diseases, assure the reporting of communicable diseases, prevent the transmission of disease (including immunizations), and implement control measures during communicable disease outbreaks.
Protect Against Environmental Health Hazards
This area of responsibility includes aspects of the environment that pose risks to human health (broadly defined as any risk emerging from the environment), but does not include injuries. This area also summarizes activities that identify and mitigate environmental risks, including foodborne and waterborne diseases and public health nuisances.
Prepare for and Respond to Disasters, and Assist Communities in Recovery
This area of responsibility includes activities that prepare public health to respond to disasters and assist communities in responding to and recovering from disasters.
Assure the Quality and Accessibility of Health Services
This area of responsibility includes activities to assess health care capacity and assure access to health care. It also includes activities relate to the identification and reduction of barriers to health services. It describes public health activities to fill health care gaps, reduce barriers and link people to needed services.