As we enter 2007, I want to briefly describe the Department of Community Health and the Environment. We are a large department with many different programs. Understanding the structure of the department simplifies the process of knowing where to go for assistance with a problem or to obtain a service.
The department is made up of four divisions. They are:
- Environmental Services
- Emergency Management
- Humane Services
- Public Health
You can use the following brief descriptions of each division as a guide when requesting services or information from the department.
Division of Environmental Services
The Division of Environmental Services is concerned with environmental quality issues in St. Charles County. Preserving and protecting natural resources in our county is an issue on the mind of many citizens.
The division begins this process with an exceptionally strong environmental education program. The program teaches children about the value of conserving and reusing resources through recycling; how to protect our air, water, and land; and recognizing how a clean and healthy environment contributes to quality of life and to the health of a community. These programs are also presented to adult groups throughout the county.
The division also operates two very active recycling centers. These centers divert a substantial quantity of reusable materials from landfills. They also provide for electronics recycling, keeping heavy metals and other dangerous elements out of our landfills. In addition, one of the county’s recycling facilities operates the only regular household hazardous waste collection program in the region.
Environmental Services also enforces the county’s Solid Waste Code. This includes regulating solid waste collection in unincorporated areas and ensuring the proper disposal of medical waste. It also provides for cleaning up illegal dump sites and trying to identify and prosecute those who illegally dump trash in unincorporated areas of the county.
Finally, the division works with other county departments, state agencies, and regional public and private organizations on issues related to storm water, waste water, air quality, and water quality. These are extremely important issues that could have a negative impact on our environment without careful planning and appropriate regulation.
Division of Emergency Management
The Division of Emergency Management is responsible for the coordination of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts pertaining to major emergencies or disasters arising from natural or manmade causes.
Mitigation is defined as moderating a quality or condition in force or intensity. By taking action before a disaster strikes, the negative consequences can be reduced. Mitigation includes such actions as designing buildings and bridges to survive an earthquake or working with pipeline companies to reduce the likelihood of a pipeline break. Another important example of mitigation in St. Charles County is supporting the proper design, placement, and ongoing maintenance of a system of levees to reduce the potential damaging effects of floods.
Preparedness planning is another critical function of the division. This is done by developing detailed plans for a variety of different disasters, called "all-hazards" planning. It involves working with numerous agencies and organizations in and out of the county to develop plans that will guide the response to a disaster. It is also a very dynamic process, since plans become outdated quickly and need to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
Response to a disaster is guided by the plans in place and by the knowledge, intelligence, and experience of the division staff and partners throughout the county. With proper planning, the outlines of an appropriate response will guide the effort while the professionalism of the responders will allow for adjusting the response due to unforeseen occurrences.
A final but critical component of emergency management is the recovery phase of a disaster. Again, the county’s emergency plan can serve as an overall framework for recovery. This phase of a disaster can go on for an extended period, sometimes months or years.
The Division of Emergency Management also conducts a broad educational program throughout St. Charles County. This includes regular sessions in our schools as well as presentations to adult groups. In the schools, severe storm and tornado preparedness are the most popular offering.
Finally, the division is supported by an extensive system of volunteers who contribute many hundreds of hours to the county every year. Activities include everything from storm spotting to search and recovery to amateur radio support. Finally, the division is supported by an extensive system of volunteers who contribute many hundreds of hours to the county every year. Activities include everything from storm spotting to search and recovery to amateur radio support.
Division of Humane Services
The Division of Humane Services is responsible for animal control activities in the county, with the exception of municipalities that maintain their own separate programs. The division operates out of the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center. The center is a highly visible, state-of-the-art facility which is recognized regionally and statewide as an example of how to conduct animal control.
Animal control programs became common throughout the country in the 1950's as a means of controlling rabies in domestic animals. Rabies is an always fatal disease if not treated after exposure. Mandatory vaccination and registration of pets is a major component of rabies control and is an important responsibility of the Division of Humane Services. Thanks to vaccination programs, rabies is now rare in domestic animals.
Another important public health and safety challenge is preventing bite injuries from pets and responding to those that do occur. When someone is bitten, the animal responsible is quarantined. Chronic problems with animal owners are dealt with using the "dangerous animal" provisions of the law.
Education is another important activity of the division. Educational topics include the importance of responsible animal ownership, how to avoid being injured by a dog or cat, and the need for humane treatment of animals. Much of the education takes place in the county's schools and will hopefully lead to more citizens who recognize the joys and responsibilities that are part of owning a pet.
Thousands of pets find new homes every year thanks to the division’s Pet Adoption Center. Potential adopters are screened and animals are matched with homes according to their temperaments and the type of home they would be going to. All adopted pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and have an ID microchip implanted under the skin.
The division is supported by scores of regular volunteers and by donations of material and money from citizens who wish to support the efforts of the Pet Adoption Center. Taken as a whole, the programs of the Division of Humane Services are a model for how animal control should be practiced.
Division of Public Health
The Division of Public Health is responsible for many of the functions that people most commonly associate with a "health department." The activities carried out by the division are directed towards preventing disease, illness, and injury in the community. These efforts are typically referred to as “population-based” programs. This focus is in contrast to health care, which is concerned with providing medical treatment to individuals. Programs within the Division of Public Health include:
- Immunization
- Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) prevention and treatment
- Provision of vital records copies (birth and death certificates) to those born anywhere in Missouri
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition services
- Communicable disease follow-up
- Public health disaster planning and preparedness
- Environmental public health which includes food establishment permitting and inspection, daycare sanitation inspection, lodging establishment inspection, and a variety of other small programs and consultation activities.
Space does not permit a detailed description of each of these programs, but the department website has extensive information on all of them. Please visit www.scchealth.org for more information on each.
As you can see, the Department of Community Health and the Environment has broad responsibilities. The many programs in the department have a significant impact on health, safety, and quality of life issues in our county. I hope you will think of us when you hear a warning siren, eat at a restaurant, shop at a grocery store, see someone walking their dog, or need a vaccination for your school-aged child.