The mission of the Health Department is to protect and improve the physical, mental and environmental health of the town and its residents by providing oversight and direct services.
The department provides nursing services to all public and private schools at 29 school health rooms that serve more than 12,700 students. School-based services account for more than 70 percent of the department's budget.
In addition to conducting all state-mandated screenings of school-age children, the Health Department provides dental hygienic and dentist care, physicals and immunizations to under- or uninsured children through its Dental Program and Well Child Clinic.
The Health Department licenses and inspects more than 410 food-service establishments, food stores, temporary vendors, nursing homes, barber shops, beauty and nail salons, schools, public pools, hotels, motels and rooming houses.
The Health Department is also responsible for issuing all permits related to the installation, repair and upgrading of septic systems for nearly 3,000 homes in town that are served by those systems.
The Health Department also signs off on and conducts inspections related to building permit applications and certificates of occupancy for construction or renovation activity at homes on septic systems, food establishments, schools, daycare centers and nursery schools, and inspects demolitions of residential and commercial properties.
Local regulations require the Health Department to conduct inspections and issue certificates of rental occupancy for about 5,000 rental units in town when those units have a change in tenants.
The Health Department is headed by an appointed state-qualified director who directly oversees or contracts with licensed nurses, sanitarians, dental hygienists, physicians, dentists and dieticians who provide services to enforce public health codes.
The Health Department's budget in 2009-10 is $3 million.
The Health Department is located on the first floor of the Honorable John J. Sullivan Independence Hall, 725 Old Post Road.
The Health Department of Stratford is located in the Birdseye Municipal Complex, the former Birdseye School. The facility provides public health services to town residents including flu clinics, asthma education, restaurant inspections, school health and dental services, beach inspections and emergency planning.
Ledyard Regional VNA has been providing quality home care to the community since 1947. It is one of the few remaining independent VNA's in the state. Home care services include skilled nursing, home health aides, speech/language services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, IV therapy services, maternal/newborn visits and home safety assessments. Evaluation visits are free upon request, and services are usually covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. Care is not denied for lack of funds.
Haddam Public Health promotes healthy families and individuals by partnering with other health and social agencies region-wide, offering guidance, working on the prevention of disease, and coordinating town-funded health care. The location, in a separate building from town hall, offers residents a confidential atmosphere where they can talk about their health and related issues in a private manner.
Environmental programs include water, sewage, food protection, epidemiological investigations and housing. Disease surveillance and follow-up of communicable disease is a priority for the department. The department also provides educational programs on health issues, and screenings and immunizations for high risk groups.
City of Middletown Health Department conducts several ongoing programs. Community health education, immunization clinics, and health inspection of local apartment buildings such as apartments, restaurants and child-care centers. It also offers health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Also, it handles records including birth, death, marriage and divorce certificate.
The Greenwich Department of Health serves to assess and address the local community's health needs. The department promotes individual and community health through the provision of public health services, guidance, and the implementation of health laws and regulations. For more information about policies and programs, please refer to the department website.
The town's Health Department, located in the Weiss Center at 479 Main St., serves the health needs of the Manchester community and provides residents with access and information to all health services mandated by state and federal laws. Services offered through the department include vaccinations, senior health clinics, dental services, senior foot care, blood pressure screenings and environmental inspections.
The Chatham Health District, located in the rear of Salmon Park, serves the towns of East Haddam, East Hampton, Haddam, Hebron, Marlborough and Portland. Its public health programs include offering public health statistics, health education, nutritional services, maternal and child care as well as disease control. It also offers environmental services including permits for sewage systems and water wells, inspections of food establishments, rental housing and daycare facilities. Visit their website for more details and a full list of programs.
The Mayor's Gallery is an art gallery that is free and open to the public. It is located on the 5th floor of the City Hall building. The gallery features work by local Boston artists who have received artistic recognition through grants, awards and more.
The Madison Health Department is responsible for inspecting places where food is served including cafes, bakeries, food vendors and grocery stores. The health department also inspects illnesses related to food. The department also is responsible for inspecting all new day care centers and for re-inspecting centers every two years.
The health department works to protect the town's water supplies. In conjunction with the Madison Water Pollution Control Authority, the health department is responsible for making sure sewage disposal systems in town are working correctly. Permits are required for all new and repaired systems. The health department also oversees the application process for drilling of any new wells, and administers rules and regulations relating to the Aquifer Protection Program, working with the Water Pollution Control Authority.
Other areas of responsibility include communicable diseases, environmental protection, housing regulations, recreational area safety, school inspections, immunization and health education.
John Bowers is the director of health and Mac Walker oversees environmental compliance.