National Public Health Week – It Starts Here

April 7 – April 13

GRANT COUNTY — Public health is always at work around you, you just have to know where to look. Public health keeps our air and water clean, ensures our food is safe, prevents disease, and promotes healthier communities.

Grant County Health District invites everyone to celebrate National Public Health Week (NPHW) from April 7 to April 13. This annual celebration recognizes public health achievements and efforts at the local, state, and national levels.

“From ensuring food safety through inspections to collaborating with community partners on critical health and safety concerns, local public health workers are always working behind the scenes to make sure our communities are safe and healthy,” said Theresa Adkinson, Grant County Health District Administrator. “I am deeply grateful for our staff’s dedication to their work and our community.” 

Public Health in Grant County

Since its establishment in 1967, GCHD has been working every day to make Grant County a safer and healthier community for all. GCHD is governed by an eight-member Grant County Board of Health, which consists of community stakeholders and locally elected and appointed officials.  

With a dedicated team of 38 staff members, GCHD works hard to navigate the public health challenges and successes that arise within our community. Here are just a few of the accomplishments in 2024:

• Completed 1,597 inspections and re-inspections of permanent and temporary food establishments in Grant County to ensure food safety.
• Worked with over 650 individuals infected with a sexually transmitted infection (STI). GCHD continues to work on STI prevention initiatives and campaigns to prevent further infections. 
• Coordinated weekly food box deliveries in partnership with local organizations, reaching families in Coulee City, Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Warden, and Soap Lake.
• Launched an opioid task force to help address the opioid crisis that affects communities nationwide.  
• Actively participated in various coalitions, boards, and task forces across Grant County.
• Published a community health assessment that identified local health challenges. 

That’s just the beginning! Next time you're out at dinner with your family, swimming in a local lake, or eating a healthy snack, take a moment to think of public health. It’s always at work around you – now you know where to look. 

Follow along on GCHD’s Facebook page throughout National Public Health Week as we highlight our community partners and showcase additional public health efforts. To learn more about National Public Health Week and GCHD, visit https://granthealth.org/. 

Join us in celebrating the power of public health and working together for a healthier and safer community.

For more information contact Lexi Smith, GCHD Public Information Officer at (509) 770-4194 or lsmith@granthealth.org 

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