Health Department

The Role of the Englewood Health Department

The Englewood Health Department is a local public health agency with a comprehensive array of public health prevention, promotion, and protection services and programs serving 27,147 residents (2010 census data) in the City of Englewood, New Jersey. It operates under the mandated, legal framework of the Public Health Practice Standards of Performance for Local Boards of Health in New Jersey (N.J.A.C 8:52) and the New Jersey State Sanitary Code (N.J.A.C 8:26). Under the governing authority of the Englewood Board of Health, its mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families in the City of Englewood through innovative policies, effective services, and strong community partnerships.

The Health Department began maintaining vital records for the City of Englewood in 1893. The Department has been dedicated to improving the quality of life in Englewood for over 118 years. Its staff prevents epidemics and the spread of disease, protects the community against environmental hazards, prevents injuries, promotes and encourages healthy behaviors, and responds to disasters and assists the community in recovery. The essential services provided include: monitor health status to identify community problems; diagnose and investigate health problems and hazards; inform, educate and empower the community about health issues; mobilize community partnerships to identify and resolve problems; develop policies and plans that support community health efforts; enforce laws and regulations that protect health and provide safety; link those in need to personal health and health care services when not otherwise available; assure a competent public health workforce; evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of health services; and investigate and employ innovative solutions to health problems.

This briefly describes what every person, regardless of where they live, can reasonably expect from their local health department in Englewood. The Englewood Health Department protects and improves community well-being by preventing disease, illness and injury and impacting social, economic and environmental factors fundamental to excellent health. It is the foundation of the local public health system in Englewood that comprises public- and private-sector health care providers, academia, business, the media, and other local and state governmental entities. Adapting to the local circumstances of Englewood, the Health Department will use various strategies and tactics to protect and improve community well-being.

Track and investigate health problems and hazards in the community. The Englewood Health Department gathers and analyzes data on the community’s health to determine risks and problems. This information drives specific programs and activities designed to control multiple threats: both communicable and chronic diseases; food, water, insect and other “vector-borne” outbreaks; biological, chemical and radiological hazards; and public health disasters.

Prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. As a result of extensive and ongoing preparation, the Englewood Health Department responds quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other public health events—the staff are intensively trained to respond to increases in the incidence of diseases, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism. The Health Department coordinates delivery of drugs, supplies, and provisions to victims and populations at risk. The Health Department keeps the public informed and serves as the network hub for community hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers.

Develop, apply and enforce policies, laws and regulations that improve health and ensure safety. Acting on their knowledge about their community, the Health Department creates data-driven policies to meet health needs and address emerging issues. The Health Department also helps craft sound health policies by providing expertise to local, state, and federal decision makers. In addition, the Health Department also informs individuals and organizations about public health laws while monitoring and enforcing compliance.

Lead efforts to mobilize communities around important health issues. With local and state government agencies, businesses, schools, and the media, the Englewood Health Department spearheads locally organized health promotion and disease prevention campaigns and projects. It galvanizes the Englewood community to tackle disease prevention and personal health care needs. The Health Department also educates and encourages people to lead healthy lives through community forums; public workshops and presentations; and public service announcements.

Link people to health services. The Englewood Health Department connects people with personal health services, including preventive and health promotion services, in and around the community. The Health Department also advocates for the development of needed programs and services in underserved populations and continuously monitors the quality and accessibility of public health services.

Achieve excellence in public health practice through a trained workforce, evaluation, and evidence based programs. The Health Department recruits and develops skilled workers with expertise in the core public health competencies. It ensures that public health workers update their knowledge and skills through continuing education, training and leadership development activities. The Health Department regularly evaluates the effectiveness of all programs and activities using evidence-based standards and strives to adapt successful interventions from other communities.

The role of a local health department is to protect and promote the public's health. Although a daily factor in all our lives, public health is one of the least visible and least understood of all public functions. In a nutshell, public health provides all those services needed to protect and promote health that cannot be readily performed in the private sector or by health care providers. Public health is not health care. Often misunderstood as a service for the poor or for only certain segments of the community, public health serves everyone. Unlike health care, if we do our job perfectly, you’ll never know we were there!

During a normal workday, the Health Department conducts inspections of restaurants, pools, and other facilities to ensure proper sanitation, and investigates public health nuisance complaints such as trash or rodents. It also issues birth, death and marriage/civil union certificates, marriage/civil union licenses and retail food and pet licenses, provides health clinics for children, and health promotion programs for all ages. We are program administrators, nurses, health educators, inspectors, registrars, support staff, students, volunteers, and other dedicated individuals with a common goal -- to deliver effective and innovative programs and services that ensure the health and well-being of the Englewood community. The Health Department includes an administrative division and program divisions in Environmental Health, Health Education, Public Health Nursing, and Vital Statistics & Licensing. We look forward to seeing you and working with you.

For additional information, please contact the Director/Health Officer, James Fedorko, at 201-871-6501.