Health Education & Promotion

What is Public Health?

Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of families, communities and entire populations through promotion of healthy lifestyles, research for disease and injury prevention and detection and control of infectious diseases.

What Is Public Health? »


Public health professionals try to prevent problems from happening or recurring through educational programs, recommending policies, administering services and conducting research. This is in contrast to clinical professionals like doctors and nurses, who focus primarily on treating individuals after they become sick or injured. Public health also works to limit health disparities. A large part of public health is promoting healthcare equity, quality and accessibility. For more information http://www.cdcfoundation.org/content/what-public-health

What is Health Education and Promotion?

A Public Health Educator is a person who promotes, maintains, and improves community health by supporting people to adopt healthy behaviors. They collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. They may also serve as a resource to assist other professionals or community organizations, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

Health Education and Promotion at the Kent County Health Department (KCHD)

The Health Education and Promotion Section of the Kent County Health Department provides services including trainings, wellness services, and educational classes based on nationally recognized evidence-based programs and promising practices. Staff also develop educational materials, write grants, and conduct program planning and evaluation.

Health Education Services at Kent County Health Department are provided through a variety of funding sources, including local, state and federal resources. For additional information, or to request a presentation, please contact the staff members listed in each topic area, or Amy Oosterink, Public Health Program Supervisor, by email at Amy.Oosterink@kentcountymi.gov or by calling the Community Wellness main line at 616-632-7058.