Health Department

700 Fuller Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-7100
Fax: (616) 632-7083

2008 Kent County Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Overview

The Kent County Health Department is responsible for continually assessing the health of the community and ensuring that certain services are available and accessible for its citizens. To this end, the Health Department investigates the causes of disease, epidemics, morbidity and mortality, and environmental health hazards using vital and health statistics for epidemiological studies. KCHD also plans and implements public education and enforces public health laws.

The Health Department is responsible for assuring the provision of certain core programs in the following areas: vision and hearing screening, public water supplies, private and Type II groundwater supplies, food service sanitation, immunization, sexually transmitted diseases, on-site sewage disposal management, and general communicable disease control. KCHD offers several other services beyond these core programs.

The Health Department operates five public health clinics throughout the county that offer immunizations and the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC). These programs prevent disease and ensure adequate nutrition for moms and babies from pregnancy to childhood. KCHD also operates a tuberculosis (TB) and Personal Health Services (PHS) clinic. Through testing and direct observed therapy, the TB clinic aggressively treats cases of TB to eradicate the disease from Kent County. PHS offers testing, counseling, and in some cases, treatment, of HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia. As part of its work, the Communicable Disease and Epidemiology units of KCHD work with local health care providers to track disease, investigate outbreaks, and report County-wide case numbers for these diseases and approximately 75 other illnesses ranging from influenza to salmonella. KCHD has a state-of-the-art laboratory to test virus cultures, water samples, and more.

While the clinic and lab settings are a big part of public health, much of the Health Department’s work takes place in the field. Public health nurses and caseworkers make thousands of home visits each year, teaching parenting skills, inspecting homes that have contributed to lead poisoning in children, and supporting parents who are grieving the loss of a child. Sanitarians inspect restaurants, swimming pools, adult care facilities, well and septic supplies, and more. Nurses make home visits to ensure that TB patients are completing their treatment regiments. PHS staff take HIV testing into the community to target high-risk populations. Health Education and Promotion staff bring important lessons to classrooms, places of worship, the workplace, and elsewhere. Education topics range from dog bite prevention to hand-washing to safe dating.

Finally, KCHD oversees the Kent County Animal Shelter. Shelter staff and Animal Control work together to protect Kent County residents from harm done by animals and to protect animals from cruelty and neglect from people. The Shelter’s adoption program strives to place homeless pets into the homes of responsible pet owners.KCHD’s work spans a wide range of responsibilities, all with the common goal of promoting health, preventing illness, and prolonging life.

Strategic Goals

• Develop internal and external communications strategy
• Grow/enhance a participative employee culture
• Reduce cost of Kent County government operations
• Diversify sources of revenue.

Operational Goals

• To reduce transmission of communicable disease
• Improve health for women of childbearing age, pregnant women and children
• Improve access to health care
• Reduce preventable illnesses, injuries, and deaths in children
• To provide protection against vaccine-preventable diseases through the administration of vaccines and the assurance of effective immunization coverage levels
• Provide timely and accurate response to client requests for service
• Meet or exceed established Minimum Program Requirements
• Provide temporary housing and disposition of stray and unwanted animals

2011 Adopted Uses: $25,803,734

2011 Adopted Revenues: $24,657,580

Department History of Uses

Significant Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2010 was an exciting and challenging year for the Kent County Health Department. At the start of the fiscal year, President Obama declared H1N1 Influenza a State of Emergency, putting in place the final pieces for the Health Department’s community vaccination program. After months of planning and preparation, the Health Department provided H1N1 vaccinations to over 20,000 residents at two of the Department’s clinic locations. All Health Department employees helped KCHD achieve its goal of successfully reducing the spread of H1N1 through the use of an effective vaccination program.

KCHD continued to provide quality public health services, even as the State of Michigan was unable to, once again, totally fund mandated public health services. Despite budget shortfalls from the State, KCHD continued to service the needs of the community while maintaining and renewing our accreditation. In fact, KCHD passed accreditation without any deficiencies being noted during our on-site review. 2010 concluded with the County adopting a voluntary retirement incentive program, which resulted in close to 25 employee retirements from the Health Department. This included two Division Directors and many other critical staff positions. Once again, our staff stepped up to the challenge and our services to the community remained strong.

History of Uses (in millions)

Public Health Officials

Health Department Administrators

• Administrative Health Officer: Cathy Raevsky
• Medical Director: Mark Hall, M.D.
• Deputy Administrative Health Officer: Bill Anstey
• Finance Director: Gail Brink, C.P.A.
• Community Clinical Services Division Director: Roberta Peacock, R.N., B.S.N.
• Community Nursing Division Director: Joann Hoganson, R.N., M.S.N.
• Environmental Health Division Director: Adam London, R.S., M.P.A.