The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment is one of thousands of public health agencies across the country that has adopted a new identity for local public health that communicates our dedication to community health and safety.
The health department helps everyone in our community, every day. Yet much of this work takes place outside of the public view. Adopting the national identity for local public health is part of a national initiative to ensure that people recognize, understand, and use the services that public health offers.
The national identity was developed by the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO). As a member of this association, we strongly support this effort. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has also adopted the identity, as have the majority of the 114 local public health agencies in Missouri.
The identity stands for what public health does and what public health achieves. The symbol of a three pointed shield and stylized plus illustrate a universal recognition associated with health, with protection, and with growth. The three point symmetry reinforces the three core functions of public health that are conveyed in the tagline. The words "Prevent. Promote. Protect." are a simple, elegant statement that embraces everything that public health accomplishes and differentiates public health as both a sentinel and responder. The colors of blue, white, and khaki stand for integrity, authority, and stability. They symbolize the legacy and steadfast qualities of public health. This identity will be used together with, not replace, the current St. Charles County Government identity in many of our communications.
The logo and three point statement of prevention, promotion, and protection is very much consistent with our Department of Community Health and the Environment mission statement:
"We are committed to the protection and enhancement of the quality of life for all members of our community through good health that comes from education, disease prevention and from promoting and upholding good healthcare and environmental standards and practices."
We hope that over time, the public will come to recognize the health department in the same way that it recognizes police, fire, EMS, and other services that protect and respond to meet the community’s health and safety needs.