What is Public Health?

Public health is a term that is used to encompass a variety of activities designed to prevent the spread of disease and promote optimal health.

Our Mission: To develop and maintain an efficient and effective system that will provide for the highest quality of public health services and to promote and protect the Darke County community’s physical, mental, social, and environmental well-being.

Our Vision: Our vision is to be an innovative leader in achieving the highest possible health and well-being for Darke County and the environment.

What does the Darke County General Health District do for the community?

Local health departments were developed to provide an organized approach to public health activities in communities. Activities of the Darke County General Health District include immunizations, vital statistics, environmental health, nursing, emergency preparedness, communicable disease control, epidemiology and education.

Every time you visit campgrounds, restaurants, swimming pools, schools and grocery stores, the Darke County General Health District plays a role in protecting public health. The health department is also responsible for providing immunizations, performing epidemiological investigations, coordinating emergency response with other agencies, and providing public health education.

Health Commissioner’s Message

Jordan Francis, MPH

Public health isn’t confined to the brick building on Garst Avenue that houses your local health department. While the health department works hard to promote and protect the health and well-being of our community, true public health requires a collaborative effort within the Local Public Health System (LPHS). Health and human service agencies in our community, including the health department, health care providers, our local hospital, and other public health stakeholders must all work together to address threats to public health within our community. Darke County’s Local Public Health System is strengthened by the willingness of key stakeholders to strategically collaborate to address identified community needs. Some examples of our community partners’ exemplary willingness to collaborate effectively include the fast and efficient delivery of vaccines at a community clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic and the initial formation of the Coalition for a Healthy Darke County in an effort to address the devastating effects of substance use disorder that arose during the opioid epidemic.

Our greatest strength as a health department and Local Public Health System is our ability to communicate and collaborate effectively in identifying and addressing our greatest health needs while maintaining an altruistic approach to reaching our vision of a healthy, safe, and thriving Darke County.