Public Health Network

Public health services are population-based, focusing on improving the health status of the entire community, rather than treating individuals. Public health is not health care. The services of public health are less visible but equally important – public health works to prevent disease, injury, disability and premature death. It does so through a highly collaborative approach involving many members of the community in activities designed to promote and protect health.

The Spokane Regional Health District is one of 34 local public health agencies serving Washington State’s 39 counties. Local public health agencies and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) together make up our statewide public health network. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads our national public health network.

The public health network operates according to the three core functions of public health:

• Assessment – the process of identifying threats to public health. Information on health status, personal health problems or concerns, population groups at greatest risk, availability and quality of services is collected and analyzed.
  
• Policy Development – the complex process of considering and selecting alternatives for action, based on the results of assessment information. Policy development involves many individuals and organizations in decision making about the relative importance of various public health problems.
  
• Assurance – the process to assure public health policies are carried out. Public health agencies may carry out a policy themselves or they may monitor its implementation by other community partners.
  

In 1994, Washington State adopted the Public Health Improvement Plan (PHIP) which refines the core functions framework and outlines the major responsibilities of state and local public health agencies. In addition to assessment and policy development, Washington State’s plan broadens the assurance function and adds an important public health element – prevention. Primary prevention activities include:

• Health Promotion – provides health education to foster healthy behaviors and conditions. Activities are directed to individuals, families, groups or entire communities, helping people identify needs, get useful information and resources, and take action to achieve change.
  
• Health Protection – works to control and reduce the exposure of the community to environmental or personal hazards, conditions or factors that may cause health problems. Activities include immunizations, communicable disease surveillance and outbreak investigation, sewage treatment, control of toxic wastes, inspection of food services and many others.
  

The mission of our state’s public health network is to protect and improve the health of all Washington citizens. Through close collaboration with public health and community partners, the health problems of Washington State will continue to be addressed in an efficient, comprehensive and participatory way.