by Roseanne Nguyen, Program Manager, Pinal County Public Health Services District
When you hear “public health,” what comes to mind? Most people recognize public health as “health inspectors” who inspect restaurants. Public health is about protecting and improving the lives of people where they live, work and play.
At Pinal County Public Health Services District, we have four major divisions: environmental health, community health, preparedness & response, and clinic services. We believe in promoting health and preventing disease through prevention and intervention. Our mission is to cultivate a healthy community where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Environmental Health
Our Environmental Health Division protects the health and safety of the residents and visitors in Pinal County. This past fiscal year, the Food Protection & Safety team performed over 3,200 inspections. With our county growing, environmental specialists ensure sanitation and hygiene are at the forefront of their inspections. Remember any time you visit a restaurant or attend a concert in Pinal County, our environmental team has you covered.
Also, the team investigates complaints and health hazards; this includes green swimming pools, animal waste, bees, flies, food safety, hotels, RV parks, mosquito breeding and more. In 2019, 481 mosquito surveillance traps were installed throughout the county.
Community Health
The Community Health Division serves school districts throughout Pinal County and the Juvenile Justice Center. By educating youth about issues such as mental health and drug misuse prevention, Community Health promotes healthy lifestyles to all ages. Furthermore, we also partner with the Pinal-Gila Council on Senior Citizens to provide chronic disease self-management workshops. These workshops are designed to empower people with chronic illness and/or chronic pain to take charge of their health care by encouraging them to set and achieve their health goals. Workshops are available throughout the year. We welcome you to contact Cori Wilson for more information at 520-866-4515 or cori.wilson@pinal.gov.
Preparedness and Response
We have two teams who prevent outbreaks and respond to emergency events: Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Section (IDES) and Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response (PHEPR). Both teams are highly trained in emergency intervention, surveillance and disaster response. They work behind the scenes to ensure Pinal County is safe and prepared.
WIC, Vital Records & Clinical Services
In our public health clinics we provide multiple services, including Women, Infants & Children, vital records, immunizations and reproductive health services. These programs ensure Pinal County individuals and families receive quality preventive health care.
Our WIC program has new resources coming soon. First, we are adding breastfeeding peer counseling; this will provide peer-to-peer support for breastfeeding moms. We are also improving the way clients access nutrition education in WIC by providing cooking classes and some WIC appointments by phone.
For vital records needs, we provide birth and death certificates on a walk-in basis in three of our clinic locations: Casa Grande, Maricopa and San Tan Valley.
In addition, Public Health protects you and your family by providing affordable immunizations for both adults and children and reproductive health clinical services, including family planning and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment to all genders. Additionally, we offer the Well Women health check program, which includes breast and cervical cancer screenings and mammogram referrals.
We welcome you to explore and use our services. Call 866-960-0633 to schedule WIC or clinic appointments or walk in to one of our clinics for immunizations. For more details, including locations and hours of operations for our clinics, please visit our website at http://pinalcountyaz.gov/publichealth.
Thank you for allowing us to serve you another year. We look forward to building a healthier year with you!
Photo: Maricopa Clinic, taken by Public Health Employee
