The Public Health System

​Words from the
Kansas Health Foundation

By Steve Coen | KHF President and CEO

Far too often, discussions of health and wellness begin and end with a focus on healthcare. We talk about changes in health insurance, advances in healthcare technology and new patient care models.

 Yet, for all the dynamic breakthroughs or shifts in funding streams in healthcare, one truth remains the same: No amount of caring for the sick or injured can equal the benefit of preventing health problems before they occur.
Steve Coen
Leading the charge in the area of prevention is the field of public health. During the past 100 years, it has been public health efforts that have been most successful in improving our quality of life and protecting our overall health. This includes everything from infectious disease control to food safety to public awareness campaigns about tobacco use, drunk driving and seatbelt safety.

At the forefront of so many of these advancements have been local health departments consistently stepping up to meet the needs of communities, regions and states. Public health departments play a critical but often unrecognized role in promoting and preserving the health of people in communities across the country. Read more
Dan Partridge
About the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department


BY DAN PARTRIDGE | Director

Traditionally the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department has protected the public from acute diseases whose genesis are environmental or communicable in nature. Today, however, chronic diseases — rooted in our behaviors rather than biology — represent our most significant health problems.

To effectively address chronic diseases, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department needed to develop the capacity to understand what drives our health outcomes and to convene stakeholders willing to work to address them. The standards outlined by the Public Health Accreditation Board are a strong indication that we have such a capacity.

We take the opportunity of becoming a nationally accredited health department to tell our story. This Healthier Together video illustrates in less than three minutes how we work in both traditional and new ways to fulfill our vision of a community where good health is possible for all. Thank you for taking the time to watch and please “like” and share the video below with your friends.

To effectively address chronic diseases, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department needed to develop the capacity to understand what drives our health outcomes and to
To effectively address chronic diseases, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department needed to develop the capacity to understand what drives our health outcomes and to
10 Essential Services
The 10 Essential Public Health Services (JPEG) guide the work of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department. We are committed to delivering these services to you because we believe they will produce the health outcomes and health equity we desire for our community. These essential public health services provided the basis for national public health accreditation performance standards.
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