Rockland Marks National Public Health Week

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert today announce the start of National Public Health Week, April 4 - 10.

Rockland County is ranked third in New York State for healthy living in 2016 in the annual County Health Rankings issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

This year's theme, "The Healthiest Nation in One Generation," raises awareness of what public health is, why it is essential, and how it affects everyone's life, the two county officials said.

Public health protects us and makes our community a safe, healthy place to live in. The Health Department's role is to help prevent disease, illness, and disability; protect the environment; protect health, and provide necessary care to the people of Rockland County. For example, the Health Department monitors the water we drink, the air we breathe, the restaurants we dine at, the community pools we swim in, and the summer camps our children attend. Public health laws mandate immunizations, seat belts and car seats, and other preventive measures. The Health Department provides information on preventing diseases, managing our illnesses, and where to go for help, and helps to control diseases like rabies, tuberculosis (TB), flu, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. We work with community partners to put policies into place to build a safe and healthy community.

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"I am pleased that Rockland County has consistently been ranked one of the top five counties in New York State for overall health since 2011. This is a testament to all of the wonderful work done by our Health Department staff, as well as to our successful partnerships with community and faith organizations, health care providers, schools, worksites, and municipalities. We continue to have much work to do, but this report shows that we are achieving our goal to keep Rockland County residents healthy and safe," said Dr. Ruppert.

The full report can be viewed online at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

The county Health Department helps to lay the foundation that puts healthy choices within reach, she said.

"I'm proud of the Health Department's expertise and commitment to making Rockland a healthier county for all. I encourage our residents to take advantage of the many programs and services we offer," said Dr. Ruppert.

Learn more about your Health Department at www.rocklandgov.com/health, and follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/rockhealth and Twitter www.twitter.com/rockhealth for important health information delivered right to you.

Visit www.nphw.org/ for more information about National Public Health Week.