Tuesday, April 2, 2019

ROCKLAND COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACHIEVES NATIONAL ACCREDITATION

NEW CITY, NY - - In time for National Public Health Week, April 1 – 7, Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert are proud to announce that the Health Department recently became accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). National accreditation status is awarded to public health departments who have demonstrated their ability to meet the rigorous public health standards necessary to deliver quality public health services.

"This has been a long and comprehensive process and is the first time that our Health Department has sought and become accredited. The accreditation process has provided the framework for our Health Department to identify performance improvement opportunities, to improve management, develop leadership, and improve relationships with the community," said Dr. Ruppert. For more information about accreditation visit www.phaboard.org/what-is-public-health-department-accreditation/.

Recently, for the second year in a row, Rockland County ranked #1 in New York State for healthy living in the annual County Health Rankings. Overall health of a county is measured by how long people live (length of life) and how healthy people feel while alive (quality of life). Since 2013, Rockland County has been ranked one of the top three counties in New York State for overall health and has ranked first three times. The rankings are issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Visit www.countyhealthrankings.org to view the report.

These accomplishments are especially noteworthy during National Public Health Week, sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA). The week reminds every one of the importance of public health in our communities and celebrates public health's role in helping residents live a healthier life. Everyone deserves to live a long and healthy life in a safe environment. Visitwww.nphw.org to find out about the daily focus for each day of National Public Health Week.

"I am extremely proud of the Health Department's dedication to making our county a healthier community for all of our residents. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the many programs and services that our Health Department offers," said County Executive Day.

Rockland County Department of Health's mission is to protect and promote optimal health for all residents. The Health Department helps to lay the foundation that puts healthy choices within reach, through research, data collection, health education, policy change, direct services, and working with community and faith-based partners to put policies and practices into place to build a safe and healthy community.

Creating a healthier nation, and county, is also up to each one of us. We need to make the choices that improve our own health and support efforts to make the healthy choice the easy choice for everyone in our community. Follow the Health Department on Facebook www.facebook.com/rockhealth and Twitter www.twitter.com/rockhealth to stay up-to-date on health-related issues, and visit the Health Department's webpage www.rocklandgov.com/health to find out about our programs and services.

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